All Is Fair In Love & War
by J.Caesar
Summary: Nick and Judy have secretly grown more affectionate towards the other, but neither dares to make the first move, afraid to be turned down. When they finally get on the right track however, a series of attacks heralds a war between two rivalising mob gangs. And as Nick and Judy get caught in the middle of it, both soon learn just how much they truly mean to one another.
1. The New Recruit

**_Hey Zootopians!_**

 ** _As I mentioned before, I loved the movie and I loved its characters. Consequently, I've now embarked on another fanfic! For this one, I've taken some serious time to get the story emblem just right, but now it is finally the way I want it to be. It will star our beloved bunny Judy Hopps and our fantastic fox Nick Wilde as they live through the events that befall them in this story, swapping between their points of view. (FYI, it may well be that I change to other characters too, later on. I never plan this, yet sometimes it just seems appropriate)._**

 ** _I don't have a lot more to say. Please enjoy the first chapter. More will follow (soon I hope, though I can't promise you that). Feel free to review or PM at any time!_**

 ** _Cheers,_**

 ** _J. Caesar_**

* * *

 **1\. The New Recruit**

 **== Nick ==**

It was nine o'clock in the morning. Judy and I were in the basement of the precinct, the firing range of the ZPD. The air was filled with the odor of gunpowder, with similar traces covering my arms and safety glasses. Apart from the bench behind which I was standing and a couple of targets hanging at about fifty feet away, the room was grey and empty. The concrete walls were completely isolated to avoid the noise from escaping to the quieter working spaces one floor above. She had booked us a spot on her name so she could teach me how to properly fire a gun, without killing myself in the process. I had been wanting to secretly train myself already before going with her, to avoid showing my bitter lack of experience, but I wasn't in the system yet and therefore hadn't been able to make a reservation.

We were here since half an hour or so, me still being as tense and thrilled as when Judy told me last night she had made the reservation. I had shot the pistol multiple times now and each time it had send a tremor across my body, both from the blast and the excitement. My hands were shaky. I had never held one up until today and Judy told me it would take time to get used to the recoil. Thus far, I had blamed it for my poor results, while it was more than likely it was simply due to me being a complete novice. I hadn't hit the target a single time thus far.

"Wanna give it another go?"

"You bet your fluffy tail I do!" I replied overly excited.

"Okay then." She said with a smile, handing me a newly filled service weapon.

I pulled back the safety pal. I tightened my grip and stretched out my arms. I didn't shoot as I awaited Judy to bolster me with advice as she had done the previous times. She shook her head and tapped with her paw on mine.

"Don't squeeze it. Just hold on to it."

I loosened my fingers.

"Don't squeeze. Got it."

"And be sure to align your weapon with your eyes, like so."

She hopped off the small stool she had been standing on. She wriggled herself in between me and the desk, where her ears unwittingly tickled my belly. She pushed my arms up, which took her some effort due to our variant lengths, creating the desired alignment. Then she got back onto her vantage point. She observed me with an expert's eye and judged my current stance, rubbing her chin with her left paw. She nodded, pleased with what she saw.

"There, much better. Now try it again."

I pulled the trigger and the bullet went straight into the bullseye. I looked up amazed. She knew this stuff well.

"Nicely done." She complimented me.

I couldn't let this opportunity slip by to practice my number one hobby: teasing her.

"Ha-ha! Beat that, carrots."

She snorted amused and held out her paw, waving her fingers, demanding the firearm nonverbally. I handed it to her carefully. She opened the magazine and checked the number of bullets left inside. I opened my mouth to make another remark, however before I could speak, she turned towards the target and, in a fluent motion, fired three shots in lightning fast sequence of each other. She hadn't even taken time to aim. My jaw only dropped further when I looked closer and noticed that all of them had gone straight into the inner ring. They were only a nail's length from where mine had hit its mark.

"Don't worry." She said, closing my mouth. "You will get the hang of this too. Eventually."

Then she walked away casually. I couldn't help but laugh impressed. She acted as if her stunt was no big deal, though I hadn't forgotten she was top of her class. I highly doubted other officers could have pulled this off as precise as she had. Judy handed me back the gun and pointed at the storage Our time was up and we had to make room for the next ones. I put the weapon back in the designated rack and joined her upstairs. There she stood, looking at the clock whilst symbolically tapping her foot.

"I thought you foxes were supposed to be fast."

I shook my head, entertained. Yep, that rabbit was a real specimen.

 **== Judy ==**

The morning had started enjoyable. Not only had I got Nick excited about something, which was not an easy task, I had also left him speechless with my deadly accuracy with a service weapon. Not that we got to use them a lot in the field. Most of us didn't even have one. The ZPD's modes of action rarely inclined the excessive kind of violence provided by a gun. We did all have a tranquilizer rifle, yet that was designed for sedation rather than intentional injury. That said, it didn't impede the fun of unloading a couple of rounds in a target. And as I had predicted, Nick thought so too.

"So, how did you experience your first target practice?" I asked.

"As a total rookie… not that it ruined any of the thrill." He added happily.

"Great!"

Nick was still getting used to many of the police's customs, obligations and, most of all, their rules. Learning and adapting to these had mostly been boring to him, so I was glad I found something in the building that didn't make him yawn. Or at least he had had it look that way to me. He had been an excellent actor his entire life, which sometimes had me question whether he truly meant everything he said. A good example was not so long ago. He had emphasized his glee when Chief Bogo taught us how to use our notebooks to maximum efficiency. I couldn't (and still didn't) believe that he was honestly enthusiastic. My belief was that he did it to get on good terms with the chief. The course itself had been a part of the ZPD's latest adaptation to one of the recent hypes in our society: Being wasteful is being distasteful. Following this motto, we, and many others in Zootopia, did our best to utilize everything as long as possible to minimize the garbage this city produced. The final goal was to have a major impact on the ever-growing amount of litter in the streets. A noble cause, however recycling old stationary seemed to me like an excessive and exaggerated fling by Chief Bogo, who only implemented it, because the whole idea was launched by Gazelle. Don't get me wrong, I loved her and her music too, but that didn't mean I copied her every move. That was one step too far. A step Bogo, on the other hand, had been willing to make.

"Hopps!"

Speaking of the devil.

I looked up, seeing my boss gesture me to come over as he leaned on the glass inlaid fence that railed off his floor. Judging from the frown in his forehead, he either had found me a real case or I was going to get scolded for not have properly disposed of my pencil dust. Nick glanced at me to gauge my attitude and estimated if tagging along would be a wise decision. I didn't know exactly what he concluded, yet he stuck with me as I took the first stairs to Bogo's office.

The door was left open, hence we entered without knocking. Bogo's room was spacious and carpeted with soft green and yellow cotton. The big ox sat behind his desk bent over more paperwork than anyone would be content with as the enormous, golden ZPD badge stared down his neck. Hopefully he didn't ask me over for that; paperwork was one of the most detestable parts of being a cop. When Nick closed the door behind us, he pointed at the chair opposite him without looking up.

"Ah, Hopps, sit down." He said to me without looking up.

A few minutes of stillness went by before Bogo put down his reading glasses and sat upright to speak to me. Only then did he note I was not alone.

"Wilde." He added sternly.

He did not offer him the same courtesy of sitting down. Intentionally I thought. It seemed that he tried to get the fox to leave us. I wondered why. Nick on the other hand was not that easily deterred and he stayed in the room, not getting the hint.

"We got ourselves a situation at Sahara Square. There are a couple of filthy hus-errr... I mean, dishonest swindlers on the loose."

An "Ah" slipped my mouth as I realized this is why Bogo didn't want Nick around, considering his former con history. I did not share these concerns. I had baselessly questioned my friend's loyalty once before. I wouldn't make that mistake twice. He had my full confidence.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sir. Please continue."

"Right. So, we've had multiple complaints about a couple of them operating there every day around noon. That means you'll be likely to encounter them in about an hour or so. I suggest a stakeout, but in a regular car, not a police vehicle. That'll avoid them from seeing you."

A smile formed on my face. I couldn't help it; this was going to be my first undercover operation.

"Sounds like a plan, yet don't you think people will recognize me and my car?"

He nodded.

"Yes, that's why you'll be assigned one of our incognito vehicles."

I tried my best to stop my grin from widening. I didn't think I was doing a great job at it as the corners of my mouth felt crampy.

"Sir, if I may." Nick spoke up.

I turned around startled. I had nearly forgotten his presence in the excitement.

"Yes?" He was answered dourly.

"Don't get me wrong, the plan's great, but as a former swindler, I know that they will be well on their guard. Any person just sitting in a car staring will raise their suspicion."

Bogo sank into thoughts. I was glad he respected Nick's input these days. That had been different when he had been with me during the missing mammal case. Ever since he had joined our ranks, he had shown good insight in various cases. This had given Bogo an increased respect for him. It had also made me admire him more. I knew Nick to be a clever one, yet he still managed to stun me with his wit.

"What would you have us do instead?" The buffalo said eventually.

The tone was less friendly; however, it never was when somebody had reasonable doubts to any of the chief's plans. That he valued our input, was irrefutable. He just didn't like to be proven wrong. A feature I regrettably shared.

"Well, I think we'll have to walk around, casually dressed of course. It'll limit our line of sight, while it raises our chances of blending in significantly. This gives us a much more realistic shot at catching them red-pawed."

Again, Bogo seemed to crack his cranium. It was unorthodox to have two officers on foot, without any backup in a car, that I had to agree, but Nick had seen the situation through the eyes of the enemy. I trusted that he knew the best way to avoid attention getting drawn to us.

"Fine. We'll see how it plays out."

"You won't regret it, sir." I said proudly.

"Please don't remind me." He sighed exaggeratedly.

* * *

 _ **So, that was the first! I hoped you liked it, because I got a lot more in stall for you ;)**_


	2. Undercover

_**Hey friends! Thanks for following my story. I have a second chapter for you here now.**_ _ **Please enjoy.**_

* * *

 **2\. Undercover**

 **== Nick ==**

"That went well."

"It sure did." Judy beamed.

How was she so confident? I might have said that our chances of catching those two hustlers were larger than when we would be sitting around in a car, I never said that they were going to be big. Those guys could smell a cop from hundred meters away, I knew that from experience. Judy was way too optimistic sometimes. Strangely, it was this feature of her I was very fond of. I was a true pessimist and having someone as sanguine as her to look at the brighter side of life lightened my own day as well.

On our way to the car, I had difficulties keeping up with Judy as she gamboled towards the parking lot. I saw in her ever-radiant eyes that she was eager to get started. It was going to be our first undercover mission and she couldn't withhold saying that time and again. It was funny how she didn't notice herself how often she said it.

"Our first undercover mission, Nick." She said, probably for the fourth time.

"Yes indeed." I replied again.

"Aren't you excited?"

"Sure am."

"Me too! This is going to be so… awesome!"

Her voice pitched a little higher when she whispered the last word. A chuckle escaped me. She looked at me. Her cheeks got a crimson glow and she muttered an apology. I ensured her not to, since there was no need. She smiled at me gratefully. Nonetheless, she suppressed more outbursts of enthusiasm. That was disappointing.

She might feel ashamed for acting like all wound up, I found it endearing to me as it underscored her lively personality. She was always so cute when she got to try out something new. Her eyes would get bigger; her tail would start wiggling and she would keep hopping from one foot onto the other. I remember buying her a snow cone in the park, a thing apparently not available in Bunnyburrow. Its unfamiliar, sugary taste had boosted her jollity to the max. Now, she had exerted those same traits, betraying her utter joy. Funny how I had so much trouble learning the ZPD's rulebook, yet I could dream Judy's every detail.

"Eh Nick?" She asked, without breaking her forward stare.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you looking at me like that, is something wrong?"

I realized that not only had I been staring at her for quite some time, she had also taken notion of it.

"Errr-no. No, not at all. Why do you ask?" I replied and quickly began observing the wall next to me.

It was decorated with the photos of police records; including one picture of Chief Bogo. In the short glance I had of it when we walked past, I believed to have read he was the current beer drinking champion of precinct one. I made a note to myself to ask him about that record. However, my observation of the photo gallery was too late, the damage had already been done.

"Is it my fur? Do I look funny?" Judy asked worried.

She withdrew a small mirror from her pocket, scanning every side of her face and ears, combing the spots wherever she thought necessary with her paw.

"Nonsense, you look amazing." I said, slightly too honest.

Her ears perked upright and in my direction.

"What did you say?"

I immediately regretted my choice of words and once more sought refuge in the wall. Sadly, it had no more things to show me. Its white concrete had to do. I was certain that my face was turning red like a traffic light and I didn't plan on showing that to her.

"Nothing. We should really be going now if we want to get there before noon." I changed the topic hastily.

I accelerated my step to get to the door sooner. Her eyes stung the back of my head as she stored away her mirror and made a short sprint to catch up with me. I dared not look at her. What would she think if she saw me blush like this? It wasn't until we sat in the car that I had the guts to glimpse at her. She acted no different than before. My words didn't seem to have affected her at all. I was both relieved and disappointed. On one hand, she still didn't know my deepest secret, on the other, she didn't seem to share it with me either. Or had she not heard me properly. Or had she and had she chosen to pretend not to. How would our relationship ever be able to persist if I revealed my feelings and they weren't mutual? We wouldn't be able to work together anymore. Maybe she would avoid me. Maybe, I'd lose her. I couldn't let that happen. She couldn't find out. It had to remain a secret, forever if needed.

 **== Judy ==**

During our drive to Sahara Square, Nick was awfully quiet. I wondered what was bugging him. I didn't like it. I enjoyed his talkative nature. I suspected his mood had to do with our current objective. Nick had been in the scamming business for a long time and he probably had a lot of friends in those circles. I can imagine that going out with the aim to put them behind bars might feel uncomfortable. Betraying a friend's trust weighs heavily on you, I know that from unintentional self-education. I hoped that he wouldn't be mad at me if we were to apprehend one of his old pals.

I slowed down the car on the outer rim and peered over the streets to find a parking spot. It was noon, consequently it was very crowded. An eventuality I should have foreseen. I had been meter maid here as well when I had started working under Bogo. I had been reluctant to accept that task, though I had done as was commanded, as any officer would. It might have been my first real job, I felt no emotions thinking back of it. Writing tickets and ruining other animal's days had not exactly been a cheerful line of work. What I did now was much more inspiring. Keeping the streets crime-free, acting as a beacon of safety for others, making the world a better place. It was what I had dreamt of doing ever since I was young. Of course, there was one good memory tied to my meter maid days. It had me cross paths with Nick. I glanced at him as he sat next to me. My best friend in the whole world, without whom I could hardly imagine my life.

Be that as it may, we did not get along very well at the beginning, nor for quite some time after that. It had taken us mortal danger, a period of heartache and a deranged sheep to get there. I felt that a smile crept on my lips. And during all those dreadful events, Nick had been there for me. Sweet Nick. Hopefully he knew I'd always be there for him too.

"Hey, Carrots!"

Nick's cry broke my daydreaming.

"Hmm? Oh, darn it!" I groaned as I witnessed myself driving by a perfect parking spot.

Luckily, it didn't take long for another to present itself. No that it restrained Nick from making a remark however.

"Yea, I have to agree that this place was a lot nicer than the previous one."

"Very funny, officer Wilde."

He smirked widely. I knew he loved it when I called him that. I was glad he had finally made a joke and had broken free from his silence. He took my bag of ordinary clothing from the trunk and handed it to me, subsequently taking out his own. He locked the car and joined me as we went over to one of the nearby public restrooms to swap our uniforms for a less eye-catching outfit. Inside, there were private chambers in various sizes. Because I was alone, I picked one of the bigger ones so I had room enough to redress. I had picked out a cyan, checkerboard shirt, ochre-brown jeans and a pair of Ray-Banteng sunglasses with a black frame. The initials R.B. were written on the temple in glamorously sparkling letters. It took me only a few minutes to slip into my undercover costume, which was nothing more than what I wore in my leisure time. Except for the sunglasses. Those weren't my style. They had been a birthday gift from Clawhauser. I had promised him I'd wear them and he was too kind for me to throw away his present. Moreover, I didn't want to be recognized, so adapting a new style would surely contribute to that. With the bag now empty, I reverently folded my uniform and put it in. I took my badge and handcuffs and stuck them in the back pocket of my pants. I would be needing those if we ran into those criminals.

Outside, Nick was already waiting for me. When we started our stroll towards the heart of Sahara Square, I observed his choice of cloths. A yellow-green T-shirt with flowers printed all over and regular grey shorts. He also wore his pilot sunglasses, which had been his favorite ever since he joined the force. Overall, he looked quite handsome this way. The pale coloration of his clothing accentuated his maroon fur. Then, my attention was drawn to the white cap on his head. I squeezed my eyelids together to read what was on it. I sniggered when I read the text 'Go Gazelle!'.

"When did you turn fan?" I asked, knowing his slight resent for the popstar.

"I didn't. It was the only hat they possessed at back at the station. And hats make for undercover outfits crowds."

"Darn," I said, waving my fist through the air, "A hat would've been a great addition indeed."

Suddenly Nick extended the white headgear.

"Here."

"Are you sure?"

"It looks better on you anyway."

He winked at me when I accepted it. Back at the precinct, he had also complimented my appearance. Now he did it again. I knew he was just being kind, yet my cheeks warmed up because of his words. I quickly put on the cap to hide my blush. No, no, no! Why was it that I felt this way about him lately? I couldn't be falling in love with him, it would ruin our friendship! If Nick found out, the consequences might devastate our relationship. The awkwardness it would create between us could drive a wedge between us, I didn't want that to happen. It was hard not to think of him, but I had to focus on our mission. I looked around get my mind out of the clouds. The houses were mostly painted white, to keep the daily heat out for the night, with occasionally a bright color for those who didn't mind to sleep in the heat. The sweltering roof tiles curved the air above them, as did the road in front of us. When we arrived, the plaza was overflowing with animals. It didn't take an expert to see why. Spread out across were all kinds of market stands, its occupants mostly selling fruit and refreshments. Nonetheless there were also multiple other items to be bought, such as clothing, souvenirs and decorative wall rugs. Those were real tourist attractions. And tourists in turn attracted hustlers.

Suddenly, I felt a soft tickle across my neck as Nick's paw slit over my shoulder. And the blush was back. I looked up to see him making a selfie of us with his mobile phone, simultaneously hinting discretely towards one of the alleys. Carefully, I followed his signal. I ended up seeing two animals, heatedly conversing about animals that walked past them. It was evident that they were picking a target. It was the swindlers! And just in time to lead my mind astray from the lovesick path it had chosen and back onto the road of regular thinking.


	3. Setting The Trap

**3\. Setting the Trap**

 **== Judy ==**

From where I was standing, I could distinguish little details of the two mammals other than that they were both male and about my own height. Our plan relied on catching them red-pawed. If we didn't, then we wouldn't have enough evidence to lock them away. The victims that had reported the nifty frauds hadn't been able to provide us with descriptions good enough to build a case, and even if they had, then it would be tricky to get a conviction. Summarizing, we had to seize them in the act. Yet the problem that this approach brought along, was that we had to wait for them to make a move. And sticking around led to suspicion Nick had said. With every passing minute, the chance of getting identified as being more than mere bystanders grew larger, but neither me nor Nick was willing to feign leaving with the risk of losing them if we'd return a while later.

Nick nudged me. I glimpsed at him as he turned to face the opposite direction of me.

"I'm going over." He whispered.

"What? No. You can't." I hushed, pretending to wipe my nose.

"Trust me, I know just the type of fool they're looking for. You wait over there, by that fruit cart. I'll get them pull their trick on me."

My gut told me to stop him, though my head knew I couldn't. It was hard enough to talk him out of anything on a regular day, let alone that arguing out here would tear our cover to shreds. As he circled to enter Sahara Square's busy market from another direction, I went over to where he had asked me to be. Once there, I learned how excellent the position was Nick had chosen for me. I was well hidden among the customers, even capable of pretending to be one, and I could keep an eye on the deceptive duo further by the alley. That fox was a real strategist. In the blink of an eye he had selected this spot as a perfect vantage point. He managed to impress me over and over with that sly mind of his. The only downside was that he knew I admired his cunning. Hopefully I could impress him as well every now and then. I certainly did my best to do so, like this morning at the shooting range. I remembered his open jaw all too well.

I shook my head. I couldn't afford drifting away in my fantasies, I had to stay tuned. I tried to find Nick. It was nigh impossible, yet with much effort I caught snippets of him as he prowled to the other end of the plaza. This too was excellent thinking of him. Coming from the side would be far less intimidating than heading towards them in a straight line. It did require patience and a cool head though. Probably the reason why Nick was so much better at it than me.

During his maneuver, I took the opportunity to take in more details of the criminals. The more time I spend watching them, the more features I managed to record. From their body language, I could derive that one of them was bossing the other. The response he got to that, was a hostile one, indicating they likely weren't good friends. This we could use to our advantage once we got them in custody. Sorry, if we got them in custody. Chief Bogo, as well as nearly every other cop whom I had worked with, had warned me not to jump the gun too much. They were right for saying it, I did it more than often. Unfortunately, it kind of went by itself.

I also started making notes in my head of their clothing. The both wore an ecru hoody, with a camo pattern of brown and black and shabby, blue jeans. The only difference was the combination the spots and stripes on their torso. It was hardly notable to the untrained eye, although police training had taught me to pay attention to such small details as they could turn out to be vital.

Suddenly one of them looked straight at me. I reacted by digging my eyes into the pineapples before me. My heart throbbed in my throat. I had looked away too fast, I knew I had. My cover was blown; they'd surely suspect something now. There was no alternative besides having scared them off. Nick had warned me not to stare at them for too long. Instinctively I maintained the pretense of being a customer, merely because I hoped to fix my mistake this way. By the least, it lured in the owner of the stand, an old camel with a straw hat and a richly stained apron, who was eager to sell me the food at a 'fair' price. My own expertise told me however, that he was asking way too much for the quality he offered. As I let my pupils roll over the various grapes, I fought the urge to glance at my true goal. I gritted my teeth. I wanted to know so badly.

"I'm sorry, do you happen to have dry-roasted dates as well?"

"I'm not sure, I'll have a look."

As he left, I found the timing right for a quick peek. I heaved a sigh of profound relief when I discovered that they hadn't even moved by a single step. In fact, they had focused all their attention on someone, far right from me. It was Nick. It was funny to witness him play an overpaid simpleton, nearly waving around his wallet with a sign rob me. It was a clear charade to me, yet that was because I knew that it wasn't real. I could understand how those who didn't could fall for it. In my opinion, he was laying it on too thick, but perhaps that was what made it credible. If it was sufficient for the hustlers to mark him as their next prey. So far, that seemed to be the case. Now all I had to do, was wait for Nick to give me the cue.

 **== Nick ==**

With all my experience in framing people, I knew precisely which were the best and easiest animals to pick on. Gullible, ignorant tourists with wallets full of cash to buy souvenirs at market stands like these here at Sahara Square. They were to us what honey was to a bear. Irresistible. Having seen so many of them in my churlish years, I had learnt the traits they all had in common. A slow and lanky walk, a bump in your pocket caused by all your petty cash, and, top of the list, the expression of sheer amazement aroused by everything that was new. Knowing this, I played my role without difficulties and I detected that my former brothers in crime had already taken an interest in me.

'That's right. Come and get me.' I thought proudly.

The idea of dupable newcomers, automatically sent my mind back a few months ago. The moment I had pulled my last trick in my fraudulent career of successful hustling. A naïve rabbit, whom I had victimized without a moment's thought, only to find out that in the end I would be the one who had been the real casualty of that encounter. I might have won that first battle, but since I was now a cop and her best friend, it dawned on me that I had lost the war. Metaphorically speaking of course, I considered my relationship with Judy far from a loss. Joining the police and becoming her partner had been the greatest thing that had ever befallen me. I had so many friends now, true friends, the kind which I had never had. My days as a shifty fox were behind me for good. Never would this canine be caught framing another animal. Well, except for today perhaps.

"A good day, sir." A voice spoke behind me.

Enough stirring up old memories. It was ShowTime.

"Oh hello." I said happily, taking off my sunglasses.

The animal that addressed me was about two third of my height, a ferret I believed. He had a slender face, dark green eyes centered within it and a hoodie that covered his ears and neck. The pattern on his chest drew my attention immediately, its taint dazzling me. I had to blink a few times to get my orientation in order, most likely the reason it was chosen. Such tricks made it harder to remember a face as the unsuspecting target would only recollect the coloration that had struck out to him. I guessed soon he would relieve me of my wallet, after which his companion would show up in the same clothes. He would then get caught instead, claiming not to have stolen a thing and not having the stolen item would support that innocence.

"You're not from around here, is that true?" He continued.

"Hey yea! How did you know?" I kept dissembling blissful ignorance.

He gave me a smile. 'A true Judas' I thought agitated, not breaking character. We couldn't bring them in, unless we got them during their theft. I trusted Judy was in position as I had asked of her, I had no chance to check that now. Not that she had ever let me down.

"Just a guess. Would you like me to show you some of the monuments here at Sahara Square?"

"Sure, that'd be great!"

* * *

 _ **I try to update as often as possible. Hopefully that manifests itself as daily/two-day updates. No guarantees though, sorry!**_


	4. The First Punch

_**Yes, I did change the summary of my story. It wasn't to my satisfaction. I also can't rule out that I might change it further. I'm more than often not easily content with things. My ideas are mainly jigsaw pieces of how I believe it should look and it takes time and alterations to get them to fit the way I desire. I hope you don't mind. (I try to limit changes to summaries and such, though sometimes I feel like it** **should be better).**_

* * *

 **4\. The First Punch**

 **== Nick ==**

As I was guided towards the nearest monument, I checked on Judy's whereabouts. Not that I had reasons to question that she wasn't where she had to be. On the other hand, there was a first time for everything, and that idea gave me a restless gut. In a split-second I scanned the fruit stand. I thought to see the checkerboard pattern of her cyan shirt and a shard of the white cap I had given her. She was there, that was good and my intestines calmed. She was watching and I trusted that she knew that she had to follow us. She was clever enough to figure that out. She was the smartest rabbit I knew. Not that I knew a lot of them, but that didn't alter the fact.

The monument I was led to, was a beautiful fountain in which the marble statues of two camels sprayed water from the jars they were holding into the surrounding basin. The ferret began his lecture on the history of the creator, whilst I had another peek at Judy. She ensconced in a group that was waiting for the bus. Listening to the hustler's speech, I could help wondering whether the art history he told me was true. I wanted to remember looking it up afterwards, although chances were I had lost interest in verifying it by then. As he spoke, he constantly plucked his sweater to keep my attention away from his facial features. It were tiny things like these that you only detected if you had done a similar scam yourself.

As a real tourist, I drew out my phone to make a picture of this 'novel' sculpture that graced my eyes, when the anticipated moment occurred.

"Would you perhaps like _me_ to take a picture of you with this majestic piece of art?"

He was going to steal it, that was unquestionable.

"You are too kind, sir." I exaggerated.

I handed him my phone and made my way to the edge of the water ornament. I swear to god, if Judy didn't grab this thug, who was about to take off with my property, she was going to buy me a brand new phone from her own salary, plus interest for loss of the emotionally valuable documents that were on it. Of course, I wouldn't mention that those precious items consisted mostly of the selfies we had taken together.

My prediction was correct. As I stepped onto the stone ledge, ready to have my picture taken, the ferret began ploughing through the mass of animals on Sahara Square, attempting a moonlight flit with his illegally obtained device. I went in pursuit immediately, knowing already that I wouldn't be able to catch up with him before the second hoodie would show himself to throw me off the hook. In the corner of my field of vision, I detected more movement. It was Judy, who was also fighting the dozens of bodies in order to gain passage. She had set her eyes on the ferret as well. I sighed relieved. She was there to back me up. I slightly resented myself for doubting her, were it only briefly and in my own mind. Judy never disappointed me, she never could. I literally slapped myself to get my senses back together and I adjusted my goal. Finding the partner in crime was my task as I knew from experience that once my colleague had locked onto her target, there was no escaping.

Suddenly, the thief made a sharp turn left, unwittingly straight towards Judy. I hoped that he wouldn't fall into her claws before the other swindler showed his face. If he would, then the latter wouldn't be so inclined to continue the plan and would dodge the bullet.

But my worries were unfounded. The quick turn had been the cue for his doppelganger, who appeared in front of me a second later. I had dawdled long enough. I dropped my act and accelerated. The guy who I was following now, had no rush as he left the plaza and headed into an alley. He was under the impression that their plan was working out splendidly. He figured that nothing could befall him if he would get caught. They had probably done this a dozen times before, perfecting it, rooting out any possible flaws. Too bad for him that he'd soon learn otherwise. Just a few feet more and I'd be able to grab him. I bet he was already rehearsing his plea of innocence inside his head.

"Gotchya!" I cried as seized him by the shoulder.

"Hey, whatchya doin'!" He replied truculently.

"Sir, you are under arreeehhh..."

My voice got stuck like an old cassette tape. The animal I was holding completely threw me off guard by removing his hoodie and uncovering a pair of characteristic, tall ears. I recognized the beige snout and daring eyes anywhere.

"Finnick?!"

He looked up and was equally surprised by whom he was dealing with.

"Nick?!" Finnick outed, "what the hell are you doin' here?"

Finnick was the only animal I had ever grown to appreciate as more than a necessary partner for my plans. We had a history together, both in the art of swindling as well as in leisure time. We even shared an outhouse where we'd stay low when things got messy. Having spent more days there than I was willing to admit, we had become good friends and really knew what to expect from the other in any type of situation. I might have said that I had never known true friends, prior to joining the ZPD, yet this was just partially true. I regarded Finnick as more than a friend. He had been my brother, who had had my back when things had turned for the worse as I had done for him. Maybe it was due to both of us foxes or maybe due to our long partnership. Either way, I knew for sure that I couldn't apprehend someone that I regarded as family.

"Nick?" He repeated.

"Finnick, you got to leave."

To my regret, I could see that the reason for my presence dawned on him.

"Wait, are you here to arrest me?"

I bit my lip and stared at the ground ashamed.

"Yes…" I admitted.

"Why, man. I thought we were a team? Is your career so important to you?! You said were brothers once. Remember you said that to me?" He said wronged.

"I know! And we are!" In an instant, I made the sole decision I thought to be fair. "… That's why you're going to hit me."

"Wait, what?" He questioned flabbergasted.

"You're gonna hit me in the face and escape."

"Are you crazy? Look at us." He compared our sizes with his paw. "Nobody's gonna believe I hit you up there!"

I remembered why Finnick had been such a good partner. His mind was as conniving as my own. He too sensed almost instinctively when something would play out as trustworthy or not.

"Yea, _we_ know that… Those sucker cops don't." I grinned, shocking myself by how easily I insulted my friends at ZPD.

He hesitated for a moment, but then raised his fist to do as I had asked. I bent over on one knee so he would be able to strike me down. I shut my eyes, waiting for the pain to come, yet we got interrupted by the precarious sound of metal being disintegrated with immense force. I shot back on my feet, glancing back at Sahara Square where I had heard the explosion. A panicky mob was frantically trying to flee the central plaza. In the backdrop I spotted an elongated car, filled with three feet of sweltering flames as the fire chewed through the interior of the vehicle and darkened the scene with a black mist.

"Carrots!" I whispered horrified.

I felt a paw tugging my shirt.

"C'mon Nick, we gotta go!" Finnick shouted to me.

I freed my clothes from his grip.

"No, I gotta find Judy. You go back to your truck, fast!"

He was dazed by my decision, however he didn't waste time by trying to talk me out of it.

"Oh and Finnick!" I called out, stopping him before he took off.

"Please make sure we don't meet under conditions like these again."

He smirked and gave me a single nod. Then he sprinted away, vanishing into the crowd and I hurried myself to the danger zone, to save my purple-eyed bunny.

 **== Judy ==**

A loud sizzling tormented my ears. I tried to get back on my feet, getting no higher than hands and knees. I coughed harder than my lungs could appreciate and rubbed my sore ribcage in an attempt to lighten the pain. I scanned my environment to discover what happened, though most of my vision was impaired by the black fog, cast by the fire. Inches before me lay a motionless, ochre shape. It was the ferret I took down after Nick had tricked him into springing his trap. I crawled over to him and felt the artery in his neck. He was alive. Unconscious, but seemingly unharmed. I remembered cuffing him when the car detonated behind us. I turned hundred-and-eighty degrees to check what was left of it. By now it was a bonfire that steadily pumped toxic, non-transparent fumes into the sky above. I saw a couple of more bodies lying in its vicinity. My gut told me three of them were too close and in mortal danger.

After a set of agonizing coughs, I rose to my feet, finding my visibility became even less. I dropped back to all fours and moved over to them this way. Every step closer to the burning wreck I felt the temperature climbing. The combination of heat and physical strain soaked my cyan shirt in minutes.

The first I reached was a lady Oryx. She startled wide awake after a single nudge and needed no further encouragement to run for safety. The second one, a boar, I was able to leave in the care of a pig who had chased after me to assist me. I thanked him before heading to the last one. This polar bear was closest to the raging pyre, only six feet or so. He had a gaping flesh wound in the back of his leg, a metal shard still embedded within. It had been propelled by the shockwave and bored itself into the poor animal's calf. He muttered something I couldn't hear, yet as his eyes were closed, thus I reckoned he wasn't addressing me.

"Sir, please. I need you to get up."

He gave me no answer. There was no time to lose. I had to act quickly. The smoke from the car was getting denser and I had no idea how long we had before we'd start suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Moreover, it was fairly possible that the bear would bleed out with a gash as big as this one. He needed serious medical attention.

"Please wake up."

Getting no response again, I did something that would sicken me if I'd ever think back of it. I pricked my finger into his wound, sending an excruciating spasm across his face, waking him up.

"Sorry for doing that." I spoke sincerely apologetically, "but we have to get out of here and I'm not strong enough to carry you on my own."

My patient tried to support his own weight, yet he simply wasn't able to.

"I can't walk. You have to leave me." He wailed, gripping his leg in pain.

"Carrots!" I heard a faint voice.

"Nick!" I cried out in happiness, "Over here!"

"Carrots! Where are you?" He replied with clear concern in his voice.

I kept calling so he could follow my voice, as the smoke hampered all vision. He kneeled down next to me and did something I'd never forget. He hugged me so firmly, he squeezed the air from my lungs. And to think I already had so little air in this smoke.

"Thank god you're okay." He said. "You are okay right?"

He let me go and looked me over to confirm it. I tried to convince him I was, yet he wanted to make sure himself. I admired the fact that he exerted no fear whatsoever for the searing flames behind us. It gave me tickles in my tummy that he was prepared to put himself in harm's way for me.

"Nick, I'm fine." I said eventually. "He isn't."

The bear was about to lose consciousness again. Mentioning him fortunately stopped that.

"We need to get this guy out of here. You get his other shoulder."

"Okay." Nick agreed, crouching under the patient's other armpit.

Together we dragged him away as best we could, inch by inch. However, the further we got, the slower we got. The smoke was taking its toll on us and with every passing second, I felt like we weren't able to make it. Nick assured our friend that we were going to be fine even though he, as well as I, was aware of the risk of another explosion, if the fire reached the gasoline tank.

Suddenly, a couple of large statures loomed up from the grey clouds. It was fire-fighters, consisting of elephants and hippo's in yellow, heat-resistant suits. They quickly took over the injured polar bear as well as carrying both me and Nick to the safer side of the plaza. Just as fast as we got into it, we were back out of the warzone.

Hey, me again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. For those of you who haven't read my one-shot, there I mentioned Nick and Finnick sharing an outhouse too. I liked the idea, hence I brought it up here again. And for the Finnick-fans, do not worry, this isn't the last bit of him in my storyline. Anyway, cheers and see you in next update!


	5. Being Cared For

**5\. Being Cared For**

 **== Judy ==**

Wrapped in a blanket, I sat in the open trunk of a police vehicle. I took a careful sip from my glass of hot carrot tea. I swayed my feet back and forth in antiparallel fashion as I watched the firefighters extinguish the last smoldering bits of the wreckage. I remembered being so close to the fire, how the heat sucked away my energy, my strength, my hope of survival. I couldn't fathom what it was like to be facing that every day. Surely, they wore suits to protect themselves, but still. Picking up arms against the our most ancient form of mortal danger, I wouldn't be sure if I would have the guts to do that, with or without a suit. I admired their bravery, also because it had been that courage that had saved my life. That, and Nick of course. If he hadn't been there, the polar bear and I might not have been so lucky. He had knowingly gone straight for the fire, _without_ protective clothing or anything. Maybe he was even more heroic than the firemen I was staring at.

"How're you doing, Carrots?"

I broke free from my gaze and noticed Nick standing next to me.

"I'm fine." I replied.

From the moment we had been put down by the elephant that had carried us to safety, he had merely shown concern for my wellbeing. The very blanket I wore around me had he got for me. Now, he eyed me from ears to toes, concluding that my answer was not enough sufficiently convincing.

"Wait here, I'll get the doc."

"Nick! It's not…"

I exhaled amused as I reckoned I still wasn't able to talk him out of anything, not even if the topic concerned myself. I saw him point at me as he addressed someone from the medical staff, assigned to look after all animals involved in the incident. They had been stationed here after the ambulance raced the polar bear to the hospital. His state had been deteriorating fast. I hoped he would make it. I might not have seen a lot in the smoke, yet I had deduced from the bear's outfit that he had been the driver of the sabotaged limousine. Hopefully he would be able to shed some light on the mammal responsible.

With a lot of drama, fairly recognizable, Nick persuaded a marmot to come and see me. I had no idea what Nick had told him, however it was unlikely that he hadn't exaggerated. The doctor introduced himself as Howard, a physician who worked at the Albert Schweizbear Hospital since twelve years. He requested permission to examine me, already preparing his gear. I had other ideas and refused. With an astonished look he ceased his actions and looked back at Nick. I had no doubt that he had been told some fib about me being near death, diverting his attention from the animals that truly needed medical care. And if there was something I couldn't stand, it was unequal treatment, beneficial or otherwise.

"I told you I'm in perfect shape!" I snapped at Nick.

"Oh really? Then what's that on your arm?" He retorted.

I looked down and noticed a dark blue stain on my arm. I touched it, finding it to be sore and sensitive.

"A bruise…" I admitted, realizing what would be my friend's riposte.

"A-hah! So you're not in _perfect_ shape."

I glared at him. Normally I found it sweet that he was so caring. Now it was just getting on my nerves.

"Madam, is it true that you were within a fifty feet radius of the blast site?" Howard demanded.

"Errr… I think so, yes." I replied, estimating the distance.

"Then your friend was right to bring me here. You may have suffered internal contusions that could exert themselves later on in grave forms. Our protocol obliges anyone who was inside the specified radius during the time of the explosion to undergo an examination by a member of our staff."

"I… I didn't…" I sighed, "fine, but don't make it too long. There are patients who need your attention more than I do."

"I'll be willing to draw such conclusions after I'm done madam."

I saw Nick draw a content smile in the background. Okay, so perhaps he had been in his right to call in the physician, that didn't mean I wasn't mad at him. I was perfectly healthy, there was no need to waste Howard's time. He could put that too far better use than checking me over. Howard pricked me on multiple spots and moved my joints to deduce from my response whether those actions hurt. This was rarely the case. During his ten minutes research, nobody spoke a word. Only the marmot himself grunted a few times. After he was done poking me, he placed his stethoscope on my back. At his request, I inhaled and exhaled deeply, whilst he listened to different areas of my ribcage. Each time the cold metal touched my fur, it was discomforting and unnerving. As was Nick's gaze, by the way. It rested silently on me the whole time. Wasn't there something for him to do? Just as I was going to say something about it, Howard interjected.

"Do you smoke, miss…?"

"Hopps, and no I don't."

"Have you ever smoked?"

"No I have not."

He removed his stethoscope and hung it around his neck again, subsequently checking my eyes with a flashlight.

"Are you suffering from asthma, Pfeiffer's or –"

"No I don't," I interrupted him impatiently, "why is this relevant?"

He clicked out the lamp, exchanged it for a small notebook in his pocket and started writing prior to giving me an answer.

"Because, miss Hopps, although you have not sustained much injuries from the shockwave, I think you may have a few bruised ribs."

"What does that mean?" I wondered, unleashing a dry cough.

"Well, it means coughs like that" He said, pointing at me with the pen ostentatiously, before resuming his scribbling, "as well as shortness of breath and headaches if you perform too much physical activity. I suggest you take it easy for the next week."

He ripped the paper he had been writing on from his notebook and handed it to Nick.

"For the moment it looks like something that'll heal in time, but should her state appear to worsen, you call me immediately on this number and if I'm for any reason unavailable, the one I wrote below, understood?"

Nick nodded and gave his promise, carefully folding the piece of paper and stashing it in his wallet.

"Wait, shouldn't you be giving that to me?" I asked confused.

Howard glanced at me sternly.

"If it had been up to your judgement, miss Hopps, you wouldn't even have submitted to an examination in the first place. You may have underestimated it once, I will not stake your life on whether or not you will do so again. Besides, this fox told me you're his most important friend. I trust he'll monitor your welfare with care."

The doctor shook my hand and Nick's and returned to the other patients. My gut feeling propagandized that I disliked him, yet I was hundred percent sure that Howard cared for every patient he had, no matter how stubborn they are. I also knew he was right to act so austere. I had failed to estimate the severity of my injuries and if it hadn't been for Nick's stubbornness, I would've continued without batting an eye. At least now I learnt I had to pay more attention to my own health, were it, not in the friendliest of manners.

"See, I told you that you needed medical attention." Nick taunted victoriously.

"Yea, sometimes you're not as dumb a fox as you would have me believe." I teased back.

He smiled at the sky, sticking his paws into his pockets.

"What can I say, It's amazing to have me as a friend."

"Yea…"

Suddenly, I remembered something the doctor had said.

"… almost as amazing as myself."

"What do you mean?" He asked frowning.

I leant slightly backwards, tilting my head and looked him straight into the eyes.

"Well, I am 'your most important friend' after all." I said cheekily.

I saw the look of perplexity on his face as he undoubtedly retraced the conversations we had had. Then it dawned on him that Howard had unwittingly given me this valuable info and he got an adorable blush on his cheeks. I knew that a physician would never make something like that up. Nick had probably told him, not even realizing it at the time, to get the marmot to visit me. Of course, I didn't know whether Howard's words were an exact quotation or a free interpretation, but what I did know, was that Nick didn't like it that I had heard them. My giggling brightened the red color of his face.

"I-err… Oh hey, here comes Chief Bogo." He evaded.

I looked up, surprised that it was not a lie to change the subject. The muscled ox was making his towards us through the firemen, physicians, patients and other cops. He easily stood out in the crowd due to his navy blue shirt with matching trousers and black leather belt, his huge posture and his usual grim expression. I poised to get up for my superior, though he gestured me that such courtesies weren't needed.

"Relax, Hopps, I'm only here to see how you're doing. Nothing serious I hope?"

"I'm just fi–"

 _*Uh-hum*_

Nick cleared his throat, making Bogo look from me, to him and back to me.

"Okay, okay." I corrected myself annoyed "I feel fine, but according to the doctor I may have bruised some of my ribs. He told me to avoid too much physical effort."

"Sounds reasonable. And you?"

"Not a scratch. I wasn't around when the bomb went off."

"Bomb?" Bogo and I questioned.

"Yea, the firefighters reported signs of residue from a car bomb. It appears the limo was rigged for destruction."

That news gave me a fright. That meant someone was loose in Zootopia with a mind to kill. Luckily they failed. This time at least. Nick continued by telling us that before the driver was taken away by the ambulance, he had assured us there had been no-one inside the car by the time it went up in flames. This had also been confirmed by the firemen a little while later. Nick had immediately asked them whether they were perhaps able to identify the type of explosive, yet for that answer we had to wait for our colleagues from the crime lab at precinct three.

"So it is my belief that either the attempt has failed or the aim was to blow it up without casualties." Nick concluded proudly.

I had followed his reasoning with interest. I had seen it right all those weeks ago when I had said he would be an excellent cop. He had conducted outstanding work. Or so it seemed.

"Or the driver himself was the target." Bogo added.

Nick's smile vanished. He visible reproached himself for having missed that angle. Bogo slapped him on the back hard, making the fox almost lose his balance.

"Don't look so sad, Wilde. For a first, you've done a good job at gathering crucial information."

He rubbed his neck and repaid the chief's jovial act with a painful smile. I read from his body language however, that he had much rather thought of this last possibility as well. Just as me, he had shown himself as being somewhat of a perfectionist. I gently tapped his arm too support my boss's positive influx.

"Yea, Nick. Nicely done."

"Alright then." Bogo concluded, "If either of you sees to it that someone is posted at the polar bear's room in the hospital, I guess I have everything I came here for."

Nick nodded and drew out his phone to make the required call to make that happen. Bogo had only done a few steps when he remembered something.

"Oh, and Hopps!"

"Yes chief!"

"Be careful next time. The precinct doesn't like to see its officers get hurt."

"Got it." I saluted.

He gave me a friendly nod and turned around, making his way back to his car, which he had parked just outside the perimeter of the crime scene. I couldn't suppress a grin as I saw him reprimand one of the younger officers for slacking. Precinct, my tail. It had been he who had been worried about me, else he'd never had come her in person. He might act all tough, surly and hot-headed on the outside, I knew that secretly, Bogo was actually a really nice guy.


	6. Cranky

**6\. Cranky**

 **== Judy ==**

After Chief Bogo had left us, Nick and I made our way to the group of officers that had gathered at the scene. The first I recognized was Lionel Johnson, a lion with a confident, slightly arrogant attitude. He was vigorously writing down details of the case, provided to him by two younger officers. The second was Paul Trunkaby; a jocular, male elephant, with an enormous appetite and husband to Francine Trunkaby, whom, as fate would have it, was also employed at the ZPD. It got me wonder if they had met on the work floor. I had remember to ask it one day. The last was officer McHorn. Like Bogo, he had an intimidating posture, whilst actually being very friendly of nature. I felt a little ashamed that I didn't know his first name, yet I quickly shook that thought off of me.

We were greeted heartily by Paul as he caught sight of us. He was eating a sandwich, filled with lettuce, cheese and peanuts, completing his stereotype picture of the food-lover that he was.

"Hey guys!" I said loudly to make sure they heard me.

"Hey Judy, how are you? We heard you were here when the bomb went off!" McHorn asked.

"Yea, we heard you had a _blast_." Trunkaby said with a raised eyebrow.

I laughed shortly, feeling pain in my lungs.

"Peachy!"

I felt rather than saw Nick glaring at me.

"I only got a few contused ribs, but that's not so bad."

"Not so bad? Are you kidding? A friend of mine had it and he said it impaired him for weeks." McHorn said, turning to the other officer for support.

The elephant nodded learnedly.

"I've heard similar things from my mother-in-law when she had fallen down the stairs. It took her a month to fully convalesce."

"That's what I keep trying to tell her, thanks guys." Nick said suddenly.

Unintentionally, my right foot started tapping the ground rapidly. Were they seriously teaming up to convince me? I started to get fed up with everyone telling me to cash my sick days. I was fine! I didn't need to rest, I was perfectly able to perform my tasks without worsening my injury.

"Yea, well I'm not as old as her." I forced a smile, "Anyway, what I came to ask, do you guys know where the suspect went that I apprehended? A ferret, about my size, wearing a sand colored hoodie?"

A brief lull went by before the rhino spoke up.

"He-err, he's already at the station, Judy."

"Excellent. Then I'd better go there too."

I noticed that both mammals sought refuge in the other's eyes. I had a hunch as to what might have happened, a very unpleasant one.

"Is there something wrong?" I questioned.

"Well... the chief kinda gave that case to Delgato."

"What?!"

"Yea. He said you weren't able to cope because of your condition."

"Did he now? Well, I think it's about time I showed the chief just how bad my condition actually is." And I turned around and strode annoyed to where I had parked my car.

 **== Nick ==**

Judy was moving at a considerable speed. I had to make a short sprint to keep up with her. Once I had caught up with her, I could read the anger on her face. If she talked to Bogo in this state, it would not end well. I had to snap her out of it before she did something she'd regret later on.

"Hey Jude."

Her left ear gave a twitch and she glanced at me from the corner of her eye. Every sign her body gave, hinted me not to proceed the conversation, yet I knew in the end she'd thank me. Or at least that's what I hoped.

"Quoting my dad now, are we?" She said cynically.

Despite the anger being written all over her, I still found her quite cuddly.

"Sure, why not? I mean, he's almost as good at nicknaming you as I am." I joked.

"Whatever."

Unfortunately my quip had even less impact than my lowest expectation. I had do bring in bigger guns.

"Hey, Jude. Have I ever told you abou-"

"No. And I don't care." She broke me short.

Or I had to keep quiet for a moment. Lay low. Let the storm pass by on its own. Hence I spoke not a single word until we reached the car. There I made the mistake of asking if perhaps she wanted me to drive, earning myself another sarcastic glare. In my opinion, it was unwise for her to drive, although she insisted, in a not so friendly manner if I might add, that she wasn't a disabled and was more than capable of operating the vehicle by herself. I thought of refreshing her memory by reading back the physician's advice to cut it down a notch, but I decided not to throw more oil on the fire. I sat down in the passenger seat and watched her as she ignited the engine, put the gear into one and drove away. All of these actions went completely untroubled, raising the belief with me that maybe the severity of her bruises was slightly exaggerated. I withdrew that conclusion almost as fast as I had drawn it. From there on, every time she accelerated or hit the brakes, she winced from the pressure of the seatbelt onto her sore chest. Subsequently, she'd unleash an ached cough.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked concerned, when it happened for the fifth time. "Shouldn't you–"

"Nick, I swear to God, if you ask me to take it easy one more time, I will kick you out of this car without a second's thought." She sparked, concluding her outburst with more coughing.

I raised my hands apologetically. I might be attentive regarding her injury, that didn't mean I wasn't exasperated by her hot-headed replies. My kindness had its limits. If she wanted to continue prolong and greaten her own suffering, then that was up to her. I had done my best trying to help her. I leaned back and looked out the window. Finding nothing of interest on the streets, I turned my attention back indoors, scanning the vehicle for something other than Judy to amuse me for the remainder of our journey to the precinct. My eye rested eventually on a string with two tiny carrots that dangled on the rear-view mirror. Always those carrots. It had been Judy's father who had bought them for her on her birthday. I thought they looked kind of silly. She on the other hand had been overjoyed with them. I guessed it was a bunny thing. After the hangers, I found nothing more of interest, so the rest of the trip proceeded in absolute silence. Both of us sulked over the stubbornness of the other; Judy about me being too cautious with her, me about her not willing to let me be cautious with her.

She pulled over and installed the vehicle in her personal parking space. Neither her aggressive stance nor her taciturnity faltered for a second as she waited for me to get out to lock the door behind her. Now she headed for the door, still wearing the furious look with evident intention to objurgate her boss. I could only imagine what things she was going to say. What if she said something like _'if you don't let me work, I'll resign'_ or maybe worse, _'if you want me home so bad, how about I'll quit for good?'_. I had to let her rethink her plans, fast. She was already nearing the entrance and I was still standing in the middle of the parking lot.

"Hey Carrots, wait up!" I cried, running across the tarmac plain.

I maned her to stop by stepping in front of her. Her grey ears sprang upright and she eyed me curiously, although I could see that she wasn't truly interested in what I had to say. She only meant to get past.

"Listen. I know you're a little mad right now..."

She scowled at me, tapping her foot again and I quickly rephrased.

"Okay, a lot mad, but are you sure you have thought this through?"

"Nick. I hav–"

"Because it appears to me like you're going to berate the chief for having taken you off that case, am I right?"

The amethysts were still burning like torches, doing their best to ignite me with their gaze. I assumed that to be a yes.

"Okay. Seems logical. However, from my perspective, it looks like you're going to scold him because he was worried about you."

Her fervent rage slipped into abrupt disarray, hinting me that I was on the right track towards getting to her sense of reason.

"First me, then the doctor, now Bogo? Who's next? Your parents? Why are you trying so hard to get rid of those that care about you?"

"That's not what I'm doing!"

"Then what were you doing when you were gonna kick me out of the car?"

Her ears dropped down and she looked away in embarrassment. She mumbled an apology, but I didn't care about that. I was glad I had finally broken through and I seized my chance to bring across my message.

"You have to understand that we just want to make sure you're alright, even if you don't want us to. And you heard the doctor. With a couple of bruised ribs, you're not alright. So, I see it as my duty to stay by your side until you are healed."

She stared blankly into the distance for a while as my words sank in.

"Maybe you're right."

I gave her a satisfied nod.

"I'm sorry Nick. For being mad at you. I had no right to."

"Ah, give me a hug and consider it forgotten."

The words had escaped my lips without notice. It wasn't until I received a firm and loving squeeze around my lowers arms and waist that I realized what had occurred. My cheeks caught fire and my heart raced like drum band. I was sure that Judy hugged me tight enough to feel it too. She didn't seem troubled by it. She was too busy pressing her fuzzy head onto my belly. It felt like the happiest moment of my life. I enjoyed the moment so much, that I completely forgot where we were: a few feet away from the backdoor. It wasn't until I looked up and my eyes crossed those of Clawhauser, who stared at us. Of all cops, why did _he_ have to see me glow in Judy's embrace. He smiled mollified, pushing his front paws into his chubby chin. I could hear him think the word cute, just by reading his physiognomy. After giving me an excited wink, the cheetah disappeared inside.

"Thanks Nick." Judy said softly.

"No…" I cleared my dry throat to regain the original sound of my voice, "No problem, Carrots."

She let me go, and continued her walk towards the door. She no longer made angry strides. She now made cheerful skips and didn't even wait for me as she hopped through the door. She was a lot happier now, yet no matter how much she had liked hugging me, there was not a chance in the world that it had excited her more than me.


	7. A Case

**7\. A Case**

 **== Judy ==**

Ever since I had reached the top floor, I was musing over what I was going to say to Chief Bogo. Heeding Nick's wise words, aggression was not the way to go. I did however want to clarify that I was not in bad enough shape to go on sick leave. I now stood in front of Bogo's office, still without the proper words, my paw hanging pointlessly in the air. I had raised it to knock on the door, yet had held back at the last minute. Maybe speaking to Bogo wasn't such a good idea after all. I already heard from McHorn and Trunkaby what his reasons were for giving my case away. It wasn't necessary to start a conversation that might heat up my attitude again. I lowered my arm and turned around to leave, when the door opened behind me.

"Hopps?" I heard my boss's deep voice.

I whirled on my heels and saluted tensely.

"Sir!" I replied harder than planned.

"What can I do for you?"

"Well, sir. I-err... Actually, I was just walking by."

After a momentary silence, we both concluded how silly that excuse was since his office was at the end of the floor. He sniggered when I planted the palm of my paw onto my nose.

"You want to know why I gave your suspect to Delgato, don't you?"

I opened my mouth to try and deny it, though I closed it without making a sound. It was true and at least he spared me the difficulty of bringing the subject to words myself. He held out his hoof, guiding me inside. I was glad he sensed exactly what was on my mind. The carpeting tickled my feet pleasurably, just like mine had in my old room at my parents' house. Sweet nostalgia. I clambered onto the chair as he seated himself on the other side of the hardwood desk.

"Sir," I commenced, "Without meaning any disrespect, I think you have made a mistake."

"Oh? How is that?"

"The mild injury I have sustained is insufficient reason to take me off the Sahara Square Swindlers case."

"Mild injury? Hopps, contused ribs are hardly ever considered mild." He said astounded.

"Nonetheless, sir, I believe it is not enough cause to send me home. I am still more than capable of handling my police duties! Besides, I always have Nick to help me out."

"I agree."

"What?" I asked astonished.

"I know you're well enough to keep working, but that ferret you apprehended needs to be thoroughly questioned and his network needs to be dug up carefully."

"So?"

"So, I can't let you do that if I also want you on the car bombing case."

I felt my ears lift. That was completely against protocol. By being a victim of the incident, I had a conflict of interest. I would be deemed subjective, would I not? Luckily, Bogo thought along my reasoning.

"I know it's inappropriate, there's a good explanation however."

His eyes shot skittishly from left to right as he leaned forward. Instinctively I did the same. Apparently, what he was going to tell me was not meant for anyone to hear for he continued in a whisper.

"It is true that you are on good terms with Mister Big, yes?"

An uncomfortable heat possessed me, my limbs starting to tingle everywhere. How did he know? Why did he know? And for how long? It was true that I had built up a friendly relationship with the arctic shrew. The problem was that he was a mob boss, responsible for a great deal of illicit activities. As a police officer, I wasn't allowed to have that kind of mammals in my inner circle. Surely, I wasn't involved in them, yet still the connection between us could severely corrode my credibility as an executor of the law.

"Sir. I have no idea who you are talking about." I said as calmly as possible.

He stared at me incredulously and bored by my sad attempt at hiding the truth. I guess I wasn't as good an actor as Nick was.

"How is this relevant?" I asked evading the direct matter.

"Well, the limousine that detonated belonged to one of his businesses."

"I see. So, you want me to ask him who was responsible."

"Something like that."

He placed his reading glasses on his nose and pulled open a drawer. He disappeared underneath the desk for a while to emerge with a brown, paper envelope. With a theatrical thwack, he dropped it in front of us, subsequently closing its drawer with his foot. The first detail standing out was the red stamp, reading _CLASSIFIED_. This aroused even more intrigue on my part.

"This attack on Mister Big's property does not stand alone. Prior to this incident, multiple other reports regarding his affiliates have come in, yet all of those were petty crimes like vandalism and a single punch-up. This car bomb is a major jump up the ladder, and a dangerous one too. This time nobody got hurt, mostly thanks to you..."

I smiled shyly. Getting a compliment from Chief Bogo was a rare thing, meaning he was truly proud. That, in turn, made me proud as well.

"... The next time, though, we might not be so fortunate. Now… I think that these events are connected," He placed all recorded incidents in a row, facing my way, "someone is targeting Big on purpose. If this is indeed the case, then, having read the limited dossier we have on him, I believe a retaliation from his side will not be far out. This is something we need to prevent and the best method to do that, is by finding the culprit ourselves."

"But who would challenge someone like Mister Big? He's quite influential, is he not?"

"Yes, he is a big cheese in the underworld, thus I fear that whomever has his arrows aimed at him, is equally powerful. If we don't step in now, it might result in an all-out mob war."

I nodded, making a quick calculation how many innocents had gotten hurt at the Sahara Square attack. It was no rocket science that if those events were to multiply, the numbers would go in the hundreds.

"Mister Big doesn't hold a reputation of being very talkative to the police. That is where you come in as our ace in the hole. If I'm not mistaken, he holds you in high regard. Perhaps he trusts you enough to give you the information we need to stop this war from breaking out."

"I can at least give it try. How do you plan to sell it to the media?"

He waved his hand to mark that as insignificant.

"I'll think of something. You get yourself to tundra town. If he's not even willing to open to you, we can still decide to get you your old case back and have Delgato take this instead. So, for that same reason, try not to let everyone know you're on this case."

"Whatever you say, chief!" I replied enthusiastically.

"…Oh, and you can take Nick with you if you want." He added, taking notion of my thoughts once again.

This came as a relief. I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep anything hidden from Nick, nor did I want to. Except for my secret devotion to him of course, but that was for an indeterminate length. Hopefully, I would someday find the courage to bring that up. Someday. Not now. I swiped all the papers and pictures back into the envelope and jumped off the chair. With the doorknob in hand, one last question popped into my head.

"How did you know?"

Bogo, who had already turned to other paperwork, looked up disturbed.

"Know what?"

"That me and Big were eh… acquaintanced."

He grinned satisfied and pointed at the dossier I was holding.

"Don't you have work to do, officer Hopps?" He said, bending back over the files.

I shook my head amused. Have it his way. One day, I would get him to tell me how he found out. I saluted and closed the door behind me softly. Outside I looked at the item in my hand. The red letters teased me with their mysteriousness. I leaned on the railing that delimited the floor. Bogo had an excellent view over the main hall of the precinct from up here. I saw Clawhauser at his reception desk. He was talking to Nick, discussing a topic the cheetah seemed to enjoy far more than the fox. I contemplated calling out to them, eventually deciding not to. It would be unprofessional to start screaming without good reason. It was the midst of day and there were a lot of animals here who were trying to work. I dared not disturb them with another of my blissful outbursts. I turned around and embarked on the long descent to the ground level.

 **== Nick ==**

For the past few minutes, I had been trying to convince Clawhauser that what he had seen was just his own imagination. That he had not seen me melt in Judy's cuddle. That he hadn't had his coffee yet. Something I had figured to be quite easy. Unfortunately, I had hugely misread the cheetah's personality as ignorant. He was not as moldable a mind as I had marked him. Additionally, it was nigh impossible to get him to rethink what he had seen.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." I denied confidently.

"Oh, yes I am, Nicky." He laughed, "Acting all tough around here to hide the crush you have on your partner. I saw you with her. It was so –"

"Don't!" I sparked.

"Cute." He said undeterred, "You all red, when she squeezed you like a toy. I mean redder than normal."

I sighed loudly. Of all cops, why did it had to be _him_.

"Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?" I ridiculed him.

"I don't know, maybe a little like this."

He put on a goofy smile as he pretended to be hugged. I was slightly frightened by the realistic impression he managed to pull off. Had I really looked like that? If so, I was more smitten than I thought. Not replying instantly to his play gave him the opportunity to deal a final blow to my crumbling defenses.

"I wonder what the rest thinks. Oh wait, here comes Judy herself. Let's ask her how stupid I am."

When Judy looked away from us to talk to someone else, I pointed at my interlocutor menacingly.

"Listen, donut boy. If you tell anything to anyone, _especially_ to Judy, I promise you… I will make your days in the records room feel like a darn holiday. Got that?"

He chuckled unimpressed.

"Don't worry, tough guy. Your secret's safe with me."

I prayed mutely to God that that was true, whilst putting up an innocent smile as the rabbit walked up to us. I came to the unnerving realization that my plan to hustle Clawhauser had backfired. Instead of having persuaded him into believing that I had no love for my partner, it had concluded with me confirming that suspicion. Was I losing my touch, or was everyone at the ZPD a lot craftier than I had estimated? Whatever it was, I had to tread cautiously in the future to keep more of my schemes from coming out wrong.

"Hey Judy!" Ben greeted cheerfully.

And he was a good pretender too. There was more to this one than meets the eye, that was certain.

"So, how did it go?" I asked.

She glimpsed at the big cat, prior to answering me with a tentative shrug.

"Okay I guess. Come on, we got some work to do."

"Sounds like it went well." I judged from the fact the she had been given a task.

"Yeah, it did." She replied, "Are you coming?"

She seemed eager to leave, much to the disappointment of her flabby friend behind the desk. He got what he deserved for wanting to meddle with my relationship with Judy like that. That said, I sincerely hoped that he would do as he promised and keep quiet. After all, my threat had been a hollow one, an ordinary bluff. If he really did tattle, there was nothing serious I could do to him. And my gut told me that he knew that too.

I quickly tagged along as Judy headed for the parking lot.

"Where are we off to exactly?"

"Hard to explain, I'd better tell you on the way."

"Whatever you say boss." I said obediently.


	8. A Source

**8\. A Source**

 **== Nick ==**

"So, what's the fuzz all about, Carrots."

I peeked at her to see if she was sitting comfortably in the passenger seat. At the parking lot, she had acknowledged that operating the car had indeed been a heavy load for her ribs and she had given me the keys instead. I did my best to drive fluently, avoiding abrupt accelerations or decelerations as much as possible.

"Well. It's no certainty yet, but Bogo wants us on the car bomb case."

"The car bomb case? Why?"

"Well, according to this classified file…" She patted on a brown envelope on her lap, "... there are several incidents like it and Bogo suspects a connection between them."

"So, there have been more attacks like these?"

"Not really, these previous crimes were much less severe. Turn left here." She said as we neared her apartment.

It wasn't necessary for her to point that out. I had imprinted the route almost immediately after my first visit. Checking the rear-view mirror, I parked in front of the Grand Pangolin Arms. Before I could ask another question, she had unbuckled and had dashed to the front door. I reclined, knowing that it would take her some time to find the right habiliments, being a girl and all. It had me wonder why she even needed to get another set of regular clothes. Sure, the others were slightly blackened, yet if we were going out on official ZPD business, why not wear our uniforms?

 _'We wouldn't be needing them'_ she had said. Why not?

My eye fell on the dossier that was left lying on the dashboard. Perhaps it held the answer to this question. I leaned forward and placed my paw on the paper cover. Whilst doing so, I couldn't help glancing at the door through which Judy had just vanished. It felt wrong to read this file behind her back. Ridiculous since, as her partner, I was not doing anything illegal by reading it. After a moment, I decided not to and made myself comfortable in my chair again. She'd be back soon enough to explain it all. My mind however kept musing over all the possibilities. Another undercover operation? No, why would it. A visit to one of the witnesses? No, they had all been interviewed at the site. Speak to driver? Then why casual clothing? It didn't make any sense.

I checked my watch. Fifteen fifty. She was indoors for just a few minutes. She would likely take her time to pick the proper combination. A little excessive maybe, I mean, she even managed to appear pretty in that meter maid outfit. The orange vest, the small blue hat with her ears jutting out above… I shook my head to stop drifting away in the details. I looked from the apartment building to my watch. Fifteen fifty-one. Why was time passing so slow? The case record lay there, unguarded and within my reach, taunting me with its presence. A quick peek wouldn't hurt, right? I let the envelope slide onto my lap.

"Whoops. How did that happen." I added jokingly.

I pulled out the contents and placed them on top. There were a lot of photos and letters reporting vandalism to vehicles and shops. As I skimmed over them, they had a familiar touch about them, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Actually, it was not so surprising. I had roamed the streets of Zootopia for years. I had seen just about all there was to see here. There was also a beige plastic map among the items. It was a dossier, light of weight. Was it empty? I opened it and startled back into my seat as I was gazed at by a tiny pink nose, a slicked back haircut, and a pair of thick, black eyebrows. This was Mister Big's file, or for as far as it was an actual file. There was very little in it that was directly relatable to him or his life. I read some things that weren't even remotely true and had undoubtedly been based solely on rumors.

"Couldn't wait for me to get back?" I heard a female voice.

Already spooked by Big's picture in the map, the premature entrance of Judy's voice send me off my chair a second time. I hadn't expected her back for quite some time. Evidently, not all girls were slow dressers.

"Easy Nick, I don't mind." She said, closing the door and buckling her seatbelt.

I watched her as she settled herself and observed her new clothes. She had put on Carolina-blue jeans and a grey hooded pullover, my birthday gift to her. On the front, it had the text 'I Love Carrots', the letters themselves all made up of small carrots. On her back was a big heart, made of carrots in the same fashion. Despite not having known her size at the time, I hadn't been able to resist buying this for her. It was totally up her alley. Now it appeared that I had guessed it just about right. Only the sleeves were a tad on the long side, an issue she had resolved by folding the lowest parts backwards. Her pullover however made me instantly realize where we were headed.

"Not that, this!" I said ultimately, showing her the picture of the mob boss.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"What of it? Carrots, you know why I don't want to go there. It's obvious that he still holds a grudge."

"Nonsense, if he did, he would never have invited to Fru Fru's wedding."

A valid point, Big didn't deliberately bring unreliable animals close to him or his family. Still, the idea that my presence had only been tolerated because of Judy seemed equally logical. An anxious feeling crawled up from gut as I thought of that arctic death hole in the floor.

"Besides…" Judy waited for me to be on the road to continue, "…if you didn't want him as your enemy, you shouldn't have conned him."

I dropped my shoulders and ears, feigning deception.

"Yeah, you're right. Nothing good ever comes from scamming others. I mean, look at you. You hustled me and now you have a fox as a partner. You poor rabbit."

She laughed loudly, the tears springing into her eyes. Her honest laughter was very contagious, pushing my face into a smile despite trying to look neutral. When she had recovered, she resumed narrating the case's details. I nodded as she elaborated on all of Bogo's theories. By the sounds of it, the mobster had clearly gotten on somebody's bad side. I agreed that it had to be someone of importance; who else than me would be stupid enough to go against him without the necessary means to protect himself from reprisals. Putting Judy on the job was also a well-played move by the chief. Big hated cops, although he venerated family. The true question would be which of the two the shrew would see in Judy when she would address the matter of the attacks. Dressing casually had been a good choice on her side to tip these odds in her favor. If we were to walk in as officers of the ZPD, chances were that he'd not be so forthcoming.

The one thing I didn't approve, was that she had brought me along.

"Sounds nice an' all, but the thing you left out is why I am here. You know I don't like going there."

"Well, you're my partner, are you not?" She smirked.

I sighed. Partners or not, I did _not_ like visiting that crime boss. He didn't owe me nothing. Judy had saved Fru Fru, not me. Sometime in the future, he'd get back at me for selling him that skunk rug. The most positive thing that could be was a kick under the butt from one of his henchmen.

"Aw, Nick. You're not gonna let me do this all _alone_ , are you?" She asked pitiably.

I shot her a glance from the corner of my eyes. She sat there, pouting, gazing at me with big, sad eyes, ears drooped down. I knew she faked it all, however I noted my throat becoming unusually dry. I gulped and tried to focus on the road. She was now playing dirty, abusing her cuteness like that.

"But I thought you would look after me?" She continued, striking a soft and disappointed tone.

I felt her staring at me and my stomach began to protest. My conscious was gnawing like hunger. Why did her performance work so well? I knew it wasn't real. She was only coaxing me. There was no true need for me to help her out. Yet another look at those radiant amethysts affected my inners so much that I had to give in to her request.

"Okay, okay. I'll come with you. Just stop looking at me like that."

"Yes." She cheered.

Instantly, her disappointment was gone and she punched my shoulder in a friendly manner. I grinned fiendishly on the inside. She might have won this round, that didn't mean she had won the war. Soon, I'll be the one drawing the longer straw… and I already knew when and how.

 **== Judy ==**

"No, Nick. Come on!"

"What?"

"You can't seriously be wearing _that_ again!"

Nick had hurried himself up and down the stairs to his apartment. Now that he was back, he was dressed in his usual slobby, brown pants, green, Hawaiian shirt, and the red and Oxford-blue striped tie. How could he keep wearing the same stuff over and over? It was unbelievable.

"It's not the _that_ again." He said, looking himself over "It's another set, which happens to be composed of the same elements."

"Honestly, Nick. Upcoming weekend, you and I are gonna go shopping to get you something different."

"Whatever you say, Carrots." And he crawled behind the wheel.

I asked him whether he had at least brought a sweater or something for the cold. This led to another careless jump of his shoulders. I shook my head perplexed. He was so irresponsible sometimes. The residents, like Mister Big, were used to those temperatures, we were not. Big even had multiple extra coolers installed throughout his villa. I remember the Goosebumps I had during my last visit to Tundra Town. That wouldn't happen to me a second time. Going there without something warm, was asking for a flu.

After our stop at Cypress Grove Lane, it was a mere half an hour drive to get to Big's frozen mansion. At the entrance, we were stopped by an intimidating polar bear in a black suit. He asked us to look into the camera behind him and I leaned over to Nick's side to be visible as well. The speed with which we were recognized told me that whoever was on the other end of the camera cable, he had to have an incredible memory or an illegal facial recognition program. The latter was more likely. I heard a voice over the bear's earpiece and with the stern look still on his muzzle, he gave us a small nod. He walked past the car and unclicked the chain that had prevented our entry. Having slowly returned to his post, he then pointed out where we could park our vehicle. Nick thanked him to which he received no reply. I noticed Nick tightening his grip on the wheel as he drove on. He really didn't like being here. I placed my paw on his lower arm.

"Relax Nick, there's nothing to worry about."

He didn't respond. I patted his arm a few times before pulling back my hand. I let my eyes glide over Big's garden. It was a vast, deserted landscape that stretched on for miles beyond the residency. It was covered in a white blanket, populated mainly by rocks and an occasional cliff. The deciduous and coniferous trees that could have brought some color into the view, were equally pale and dark as the rest of the environment. The only thing that wasn't completely sober, were millions of imperfect sparkles, generated by the reflecting sunrays on the millions of imperfect snow crystals, coating the garden with a shimmering layer. Accustomed to the colorful flower fields of my home, this scenery of black, white and brown appeared rather lifeless and sorrow to me.

The tires creaked softly in the snow as Nick made a rightward turn towards the parking garage. It was a small concrete structure coterminous to, yet not joint with the mansion itself. Another polar bear awaited us there, opening the door as we neared it. There was plenty of space inside to park anyway you wanted, albeit that Nick's sense of decency had him align our car with the others. He took a deep breath as if to inhale enough confidence to leave the safety of our vehicle. I felt a slight guilt for dragging him along.

The animal who had opened the garage door, had returned to guide us to the main entrance of the villa. We meekly followed the sizeable animal to the house, none of us speaking a single word as we strolled over the wintry grounds. Arriving into the enormous main hall, I realized that the last time we were here, we had been brought in through the side and I had never gotten to see this part. I had stayed in touch with Big and Fru Fru after the Night Howler case, but strangely I had never visited anymore. I whistled impressed as I observed the pompous display. The marble floor and pillars sheened like they had been polished seconds ago, which might be the case for all I knew. The roof had also been painted white to amplify a spacious feeling. The walls were vertically striped in black and maroon, lighted by silver chandeliers and decorated with various tapestries and paintings, most of them depicting members of the shrew's family. In front of us lay a massive, rectangular staircase that bent twice in both directions, leading to the floor above. The handrails meandered up and down like snakes, with a sculptured shrew head at each end, all of it too in flawless marble. The steps on the staircase themselves were each covered by small, maroon rugs to avoid the danger of slipperiness for animals who weren't adapted to it.

Nick restlessly fumbled with his paws as we ascended to the first level. I thought of taking hold of one of his paws to strengthen his confidence, however I found my guts insufficient to perform that kind of intimacy.

"Mister Big will be able to receive you in a moment. Please wait here." The bear informed us with a low voice.

We preceded the guard into the chamber he had brought us to, after which he noiselessly closed the door behind us. The inside was warmly designed, the temperature being the exact opposite. I rubbed my sleeves, praising my pullover for its isolative property. In the middle of the cold stone floor lay a woolen, dark red carpet. I heaved a pleased sigh as it offered my feet some additional warmth. On the carpet stood an elongated table with a linen tablecloth, embroidered all kinds of symbols. Nine chairs surrounded it; I assumed the head that had no chair was for our host. Above it hung two big, golden chandeliers that supplied the entire room with light as there were no windows. Along the sides were Oakwood closets, housing mostly family heritage such as delftware, bullion figurines and painted portraits. In one of the portraits, I recognized Mister Big himself. Or maybe his father, the frame looked a little too old to have been made in any recent years.

I sat down in one of chairs when I detected Nick was still pacing up and down the room.

"Will you just relax for a moment."

"Easy for you to say. He regards you as family."

"Then as long as I'm here, you have nothing to worry. Wouldn't you agree?"

He gave me a tentative look. At least he had stopped pacing. I tapped the chair next to me, inviting him over. He obeyed and placed himself next to me. I stared at him with the happiest smile I could muster, hoping to get him as far as to return me the favor. After a couple of minutes, he finally did, though I reckoned it was merely to make me stop staring. That thought shrunk my grin to an insignificant line. There had to be something I could do to make him feel better. The dreamy idea of taking his paw came to mind once more, but before I could choose whether to attempt it this time, the door swung open and Koslov's enormous posture emerged from the hallway.

* * *

 **Hey all. I'm sorry to say that my next update will take some more time. I got some important stuff that needs to be finished next week. Cheers!**


	9. High-Strung Conversation

**Hey all. I noticed a spectacular increase in followers on this story. I'm pleased to get so many of you interested in my story. Thank you all for the support! Kind Regards,**

* * *

 **9\. High-Strung Conversation**

 **==Judy==**

A faint scratching reached my ears the moment Koslov closed the door behind him. It had been Nick's claws, scraping over the table as his fingers cramped from the nerves. In my opinion, he exaggerated too much. The huge bear said nothing to us as he passed us by nor did he even look at us. His gaze was, as always, fixed on the horizon. Being in his presence emphasized how small I was in comparison to some Zootopians. Normally that didn't bother me much - I was perfectly satisfied with my size - however with Koslov towering before me, I felt smaller than ever. I instinctively checked if the tranquilizer gun was present on my gear belt. It was a habit, a reflex to facing such a large and intimidating posture. Not that I had reason to fear him, he was just as his boss, a friend of mine. Still, as he silently walked to the other side of the Oakwood table, a primordial unrest settled itself in my veins, advising me to be careful around such a grand and powerful animal.

Koslov unfolded his hands and put down the chair with his boss. He finalized his actions by doing a step back and folding his hands in front of his belly, transforming himself into a motionless, black and white statue. It had me wonder whether he ever spoke at all. A thought which was a little strange since I knew nothing about him. Maybe he was very talkative at home?

"Ah, my friends. When I heard you were here, I came as soon as I could." Big spoke kindly.

Big clearly choose his furniture to match the room he would in which he received his guests. In contrast to the original brown leather, his current fauteuil had an upholstered, maroon seating, the edges pinned with two dozen silver beats, a pattern matching his former chair. The armrests appeared to have been molded from the same noble metal as the beats, curving down the front, creating elegant whirls that shined flamboyantly under the light of the two chandeliers above us.

"Mister Big, I'm glad you were able to receive us even though we hadn't properly announced our arrival."

He gave me a careless wave of his paw.

"Don't be so formal. We're all family here."

I accepted his words with a smile. I glanced at Nick, hoping that Big's warm manner of welcome had eased his mood. It didn't seem to have had any impact. Then again, it was never readable if something had gotten to him; he had perfected the art of the poker face like nobody I knew of. It is that I was aware of his anxiety. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have been to call it.

The door slammed open a second time, letting in another polar bear. This one was two third of Koslov's height and adapted the same detached attitude. He wore the same black suit, but with a white shirt underneath and a tie instead of a necklace. He carried with him a silver platter, which he gently put down on the unused side of the table. On it were a bottle of red liquid, two medium glasses and one small one. Koslov, though being present, seemed not allowed to drink with us. As the butler poured in the glasses, I read the label. It was a _Chateau Marmot_ from the year 1787, a type of wine worth more than two years of my salary.

"Please, have a drink with me." Big invited.

The polar bear placed three coasters on the table a covered each with the appropriately sized drink. Big thanked him and the bear left the room again. I stared at my wine tentatively. I wasn't a fan of alcoholic beverages, nor was I allowed to consume any during duty hours. Nick had similar issues. At least, that is what I thought at first. When Big himself took a sip, Nick realized he wouldn't be poisoned and followed the mob boss in taking in the liquor. I snorted disapprovingly witnessing him take more swigs. I noted that Mr. Big eyed my hesitance and I pinned my gaze quickly to my glass. We were trying to get Big to give us some info, so it would be rude to turn down his offering. Besides, what we were given was so expensive that I wouldn't dare to decline it. I placed the glass at my lips and carefully drank some of the wine. It tasted sweet and fruity, like the grape juice at home, but with a burning hint of alcohol, leaving a strange taste in my mouth afterwards. My mind was ambiguous whether I liked it or not. The rodent nodded satisfied.

"To business then. Why are you here?"

I remember Nick having told me to address the matter subtly, yet I didn't quite know how to do that.

"Well, sir, it regards a recent incident that took place in Sahara Square."

"You mean the accident with one of my limousines? So I heard. Most unfortunate. Does the ZPD have any idea on what happened?"

"Well, it appears that someone placed a bomb underneath the car."

"Really?" the shrew let out surprised, putting down his glass, "Then I am glad nobody died."

I confirmed with a sad nod.

"And James?"

I guessed James was the driver of the limo.

"He's still at the Albert Schweizbear. He's badly injured, but I've been told he'll make it."

"I also heard that it could've ended a lot worse if you two hadn't saved him."

I looked down shyly, honored by receiving compliments for my actions a second time.

"…How were you so quick to the rescue?"

"Nick and I were working another case there when the bomb went off."

"You were _there_? Then praise God you were spared from harm."

"Actually…"

My ears perked up. This was the first time since we entered the mansion that Nick said anything.

"… she has sustained bruised ribs. I'm seeing to it that she doesn't perform to much activity as she's too eager to do so herself."

This raised concern with our host. He wondered if I wasn't in a lot of pain as he too knew people that had had the same injury. I avoided Nick's eyes as he was likely to enjoy the fact that yet another animal agreed that I underestimated my condition. At length, Big approved Nick watching over me.

"You should be at home resting."

"Honestly, I'm fine. It's not –"

Koslov intruded as he whispered something to Mr. Big. The shrew consequently pulled out a golden pocket watch from the inside of his tailor-made suit. They exchanged a few words so silent, even I couldn't hear them with my sensitive ears. When their discussion ended, Big apologized to us for having to leave. That's when I realized that thus far he had been the only one asking questions. It had to have been the other way around. I hadn't been given a single clue and if I couldn't get any info from him, the case was at a dead end. With that thought, came also the comprehension that if I wouldn't be able to solve this, a mob war would unfold in Zootopia. I had to get Big to help us out.

"Before you leave, sir, do you have any idea who could've done this?"

"I have an appointment to attend." He ignored my question. "Go home, take some rest."

Koslov picked him up and started walking to the door. I leaned forward, feeling Nick's paw on my arm. He knew what I intended to do. His eyes begged me to stay put. I couldn't. I decided to push my luck to get the intel I needed. I jumped up from the chair and rushed over to block Koslov's path. Disturbed, the bear looked down at me with stern eyes, supported by a few rows of bags underneath. He glared at me as if he was going to walk straight over me, however he halted in front of me.

"Mr. Big, please. I need to know who is targeting you."

"Targeting me? What are you talking about?"

In the background, Nick gestured me to abort my actions. I paid no attention to him.

"This attack, it is not the first time someone assaulted your business, is it?"

Big's bristly eyebrows hid every form of emotion that could otherwise have been derived. I had no idea if my words angered him or got him to think. I had to press on to achieve the latter.

"Please, sir, I have to ask you for your help. If you fight this threat on your own, it might plunge Zootopia into chaos and war. Let the ZPD help you work this out. Let me help you work this out."

 **==Nick==**

I bit down hard, tasting blood as a part of my cheek got caught in between my teeth. What the heck was she doing. Judy was trying to force Tundra Town's biggest crime boss into cooperation, amidst his own villa! It was just like when she threatened him during the Nigh Howler case. She had sealed our fate then, only reverting it by incidentally having saved his daughter earlier. It wasn't likely we'd be able to use that trump card a second time. Mr. Big tapped his chin. The fact that he hadn't burst out in anger could mean two things. He was considering what she had said to him, or he thinking of a terrible punishment for speaking out of tone. I feared it the worst and mutedly prayed his feelings towards Judy weighed stronger than his pride. As the lull continued to chew on my nerves, I hid my face in the palms of my paws.

"Hmm… Alright."

I peeked through my fingers.

"Koslov." Big spoke.

The subject understood the message, subsequently returning Big to the table, and pulling out a phone to text Big's delayed arrival at the next meeting. Judy also resettled herself onto her seat. I was delighted that she had managed to persuade him, but after this I needed to have a word with her about weighing the risks of her spontaneous decisions. This time her perseverance had paid off. Well, that and a little good fortune, cause let's be honest, if she hadn't saved Fru Fru on that particular day, our future might have been a lot colder.

"I think you are right, Judy. Somebody appears to have it in for me and my associates."

"Do you have any idea who it might be or why?" She asked.

Big shook his head in disappointment.

"Thus far, my resources haven't been able to answer either question. All I can say is that it is probably a 'colleague' of mine who secretly aims to attain my position. I'd rather see all of my work go up in flames than to let it fall into the hands of someone else." He uttered spitefully.

"Don't worry. You have the ZPD's finest police officer on the case." I said, placing my paw on Judy's shoulder.

She blushed and pushed it away. Mr Big on the other hand, saw some truth in my remark.

"Hmm, I have to say that I was indeed impressed by how you solved Otterton's case…" He rubbed his chin with index finger and thumb. "Okay. I'll give you a shot at unravelling this mystery."

"Thank you, sir." Judy answered enthusiastically.

"However," Big continued, pressing his fingertips against their mirror counterparts "if you can't solve this before it gets out of hand, I will deal with it myself. Agreed?"

Judy gulped by the thought of how exactly he planned to do so. I could tell from experience that she was right in thinking his method of action wouldn't be pretty. Regardless, this deal was better than I had reckoned we'd be able to accomplish and I gave Mr. Big our word that we had an understanding.

"Good. Then I should tell you that I have a gala planned tomorrow. My business partners and I will celebrate a successful take-over of a smaller affiliation. I trust most of my 'colleagues' will be there. If you'll attend it, you'll have the possibility to make up a list of suspects."

I nodded gravely. Judy, on the other hand, seemed not so sure if it would be a good idea if we were to throw ourselves into this proverbial snake pit. I assured her that nothing could go wrong, since Big's security would be all over. Moreover, the shrew had a valid point. All Zootopia's crime lords gathering in one place was an excellent opportunity to see who disliked who and to pick up our first clues.

"Then that's settled. I'll expect you tomorrow at eight."

"We'll be there."

We said our goodbyes and left the room, preceded by the same bear that had guided us on our way in. I let my paw slide over the smooth railing as we walked down the white marble stairs. Judy's worried demeanor made it evident that something troubled her. Where she had previously enjoyed every detail of Big's vast welcome hall, she was now preoccupied solely with her own feet.

"What's the matter, Carrots?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing."

Too bad for her I could read her like a book. She bit her lip, her ears drooped down and her nose wiggled. These traits summed up that something was on her mind. Funnily enough, there was an easy way for me to manipulate her into coming clean. I simply furrowed a brow. That always made her realize she wasn't able to hide anything from me. It merely took a few seconds to affect her.

"Don't look at me like that!"

I let my quizzical gaze rest on her nonetheless. The moment we reached the bottom of the stairs, she succumbed to my persistent stare.

"Fine. If you want to know so badly…" She took a deep breath, "I… I've never been to a gala before."

"Now Carrots, that's not so problematic, is it?"

"It is! I don't know what's customary, I'll stand out amongst the others in an instant. Heck, I don't even know what to wear!"

"It sounds like my field of expertise is called upon!" A high-pitched voice squeaked.

We looked back to see tiny Fru Fru standing atop the stairs. She was dressed in a purple dress, dotted with glittery stars that sparkled as she moved towards us. She waddled clumsily with her round, pregnant tummy, yet despite her condition refused to be carried around like her father. She reminded me of Judy, who was similarly stubborn regarding her own physical state. The lady rodent stopped ten treads above us, at the proper height to address us face to face.

"I promised you at your birthday that we'd go shopping together remember? So you'd pick your own present."

"I remember." Judy beamed.

"Well, then I believe the time has come to honor that promise!" Fru Fru smiled back.

"Oh great. Now I get to go shopping with _two_ fashion fans." I sighed.


	10. Sweet Payback, Topped With An Even Sweet

**Hey guys. I'm really getting piled under work ATM, sorry 'bout that. I know most of you are quite understanding an all, which is great! Frankly I only write this here to show that it irritates me myself that I can't find more time for the very enjoyable pastime that is writing. So please, feel free to ignore this cliché comment of mine and proceed to chapter ten below. Thank you!**

* * *

 **10\. Sweet Payback, Topped with An Even Sweeter Face**

 **==Nick==**

Although our conversation with Mr. Big didn't end in any form of disaster as I might have initially thought, a load fell off my back when I got into the car again. I unintentionally pressed myself deeper into the seat as I felt the trusted leather grip of the steering wheel. I turned on the heating, opening both the vents to warm up from this cold visit. I hadn't really felt it before due to my nerves, however the temperature was unforgivingly low in Tundra Town. When Judy crawled onto the passenger seat, she furrowed a brow, reminding me that she had specifically told me to bring something warm. I pretended not to notice.

I put the gear lever into _reverse,_ drove backwards and switched to _first gear_. The polar bear guard opened the door of the garage and I rode out and down the driveway of Big's Villa. Neither of us said a thing, yet it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Quite the contrary. Coming here, we had both been proven right. She in her claim that nothing terrible would happen, me by Mr. Big's confirmation that her injury wasn't a minor one. Moreover, he had shown to be willing to help us out with the case as well. One could say that, after this win-win-win situation, we were mutedly basking in self-satisfaction. It wasn't until we halted in front of a traffic light that Judy decided it had been quiet long enough.

"I don't understand you Nick." She said out of the blue.

Leaning with my lower arms on the wheel, I awaited the impairing red light.

"Why's that?" I replied, without breaking my gaze.

"This afternoon you said you couldn't stand going to Big's mansion, yet when he invites us over for a gala, you don't hesitate to say yes."

"Funny you should say that. I had been wondering the same thing."

"And what did you conclude?"

"I think…"

The green light sprang on and I didn't finish. Reaching thirty miles per hour, I picked up my sentence again.

"... I think my job is more important to me than how I feel. I can't simply back away from a case because I'm scared. I have to move past that and do what I need to do."

"That's very commendable, Nick." She complimented me.

I smiled, though remembered that it was she herself who had taught me this. Ever since that day at the Junior Ranger Scouts, I had been solely looking after myself, never caring for another. That had all changed after our encounter with the intoxicated jaguar, Manchas. Judy had risked her own life to save mine, something no mammal had ever done for me. Not long after that, I had surprised myself by stepping up for her against Chief Bogo, knowing very well that he could have had me arrested for doing so. I had more or less insulted a high-ranking officer of the law by accusing him of discrimination. I had never thought I'd be willing to put my own feelings aside to help somebody else. It had been a spontaneous action at the time, one that had felt like the right course to go, to help the one that helped me. From that day on, we had both repeatedly risked our necks for the other. It had been the foundation for a lifelong friendship between the two of us. And perhaps, someday, even more than that…

"You've really become attached to being a cop, haven't you?"

"Trust me, Carrots, I'm equally surprised as you are."

"So… you'd do _anything_ your job demands of you?"

My right ear flicked. The tone in which she said these last few words nagged in my gut. I didn't like where this was headed. She asked too specifically. I chose to respond with a meaningless hum. She assumed this as a confirmation to her question.

"Even arrest your own friend?"

"Arrest my friend?"

See kept quiet, which was for some reason even more unsettling than when she had continued talking. I glanced at her. She stared at me with an unamused expression on her face. She gave me time to think about what she was referring to. I had no clue however.

"No? Don't remember?"

I shrugged.

"Beats me."

"At Sahara Square. The two hustlers we were supposed to take in? Ring any bells?"

"Ah, right before you were _badly_ injured."

She rolled her eyes in their sockets.

"Yes, Nick." She admitted irritated. "Before I got hurt."

I smiled. Teasing her was such a great hobby.

"But before the explosion, you were chasing the second guy into an alley. Although, for some reason, there was only one suspect for Delgato to interrogate. He said that you told him that the hustler eluded you. Now unless he flew out of that alley, you have to have let him walk on purpose."

I gulped, giving away that I not only recollected the events as well as that her assumption was spot on.

"Ah! I knew it!"

"Well, I …"

I shut my mouth, knowing that denying it would be useless. She had already figured it all out. Moments like these had me wish my partner wasn't the best detective of the ZPD. I could hardly keep any of my actions hidden. Ironically, she had yet to uncover the biggest secret I had. If she hadn't already… I shook off that possibility. Then we wouldn't be sitting here, would we? Our casual interaction would surely have been the first to fall under the tension that love would bring into the equation. No, my feelings for her were still safely stored inside my heart, although I strongly believe that if she would knowingly start to search for clues of their existence, the smile I wore on my face in her presence, would certainly be a dead giveaway.

"So, why did you let him go? Didn't you just say that you'd do anything?"

"Actually, I didn't say that. _You_ said that. I only hummed."

"Oh, come on!" She called out, following with a cough because of it, "Don't hide behind verbal details, Nick. We both know damn well you intendedly let him escape."

I gazed surly through the windshield. I was trapped. She had me cornered and for the first time since I left my criminal career behind me, I felt like a perpetrator again, caught during illicit activities.

"Was he one of your old pals? Did you return him a favor? The ZPD rules specifically state that you're not allowed to favor mammals that you know. You remember that?"

"Yes, I remember it, but –"

"Then why did you do it Nick? Why?"

"Because it was Finnick! Okay?!"

For a few seconds, the car was filled with an unpleasant air of unspoken irritation.

"Finnick?" She brought out in slight disbelief.

She must be thinking I'm making this up. Well, I wasn't. Not this time.

"Yes. Finnick."

I sighed and turned right onto the highway back to Savannah Central.

"Look, I didn't lie when I claimed that I'd do anything for my badge and I won't just forsake it for any guy I happen to know, but Finnick 's different. He's been a lifelong pal of mine, and we share a history. Okay, maybe it's a bit of a notorious history with cons, thefts and an occasional fight, but a history nonetheless. The point is, I'd do for him just as much as for my badge."

Her expression went from punitive to understanding, her ears making a soft sound as they fell down on her back. Over the course of the many conversations we had had during our partnership, I have made it clear that Finnick was the only true friend I had attained over the years. I knew plenty others with whom I had no quarrel, like Flash or Weaselton, but I couldn't really call those my friends. The fennec fox on the other hand was like a brother. After all that he and I had been through, it had been impossible for me to arrest him. We even shared a safe house together, on an abandoned factory estate. Lucky for me, next to being one of the most talented cops on the force, Judy was also one of the most compassionate. Staring at the dashboard, her expression spoke volumes; volumes I had read many times over. She was contemplating what she would have done herself in my situation.

"It must've been a hard choice." She said eventually.

I nodded.

"Sorry for accusing you of abusing your status as officer, Nick. It was too premature of me."

With my view glued to the traffic around me, I blindly reached for her shoulder and patted it gently once I found it.

"Don't you worry about it. I'll find a way to pay you back for it."

She smiled at me mirthlessly.

"Speaking of which" I proceeded, "we have a more pressing matter at hand."

"Really? Like what?"

I monitored her from the corner of my eye. Her ears had perked back up and her nose wiggled curiously. This was going to be fun.

"Like whether you like the Italian cuisine."

"Excuse me?" She gasped.

"Yeah. I told you I'd be sticking with you till you were better, remember? That includes dinner."

A content grin crept onto my face. Exactly the element of surprise I had hoped for. I had planned this move a few hours ago; she had abused my promise to stay by her side until she was recovered to get me to join her going over to Tundra Town. Now it was my turn to use the promise to my advantage. However I noted that she looked nervous by the forecast of dinner together, having me doubt my decision. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all… If the prospect of this sort-of-date already created awkwardness, I might tear our partnership to shreds by stepping up with the romance too fast. Although, she had also been eager to keep me by _her_ side, hadn't she? My smirk widened to a point where it hurt my cheeks. Yeah, this opportunity was too perfect to ignore. Besides, two friends having dinner, what's weird about that?

"So, do you like Italian?"

"I-I err…"

It was so funny to see her so utterly confused. I laughed on the inside. Sweet revenge topped with an even sweeter look of disorientation on that little muzzle of hers.

"I-I guess." She brought out at length.

"Great! Cause I know a fine _ristorante_ not far from here."

"Why am I not surprised?" She said somewhat discrediting.

I grinned widely.

"Because, officer Hopps, I promised I would take good care of you. And I always keep my promises." I answered overly confident.

She could insult me all she wanted, there wasn't a chance in the world she was getting out on this dinner of ours.

 **==Judy==**

The restaurant appeared quite hospitable and inviting on the outside. It was a medium sized eat house, situated on the bottom floor of a ten-story building, and very well accessible from one of the larger shopping streets of Savannah Central. The enormous glass windows were imprinted with the name _Pasta, Pizza e Più_ , giving an alliterating hint of the dishes served inside. I was relieved Nick hadn't sought out something of great luxury, I was hardly dressed for going out at all. The parking lot was almost full and we were lucky to even find a spot. I checked my watch. It was six thirty, a good time for dinner and judging from the number of cars, it appeared as if we were the last ones to arrive here.

Upon entry of the cloakroom, we were welcomed by a warm scent of Italian viands that were readily consumed by the dozens of mouths that arrived prior to us. My stomach groaned at me, begging for a piece of that food as well. Since we didn't have any coats, we walked straight towards the guinea pig that attended the list of guests. He sat behind a little desk on an elevated plateau, the totality of it reaching a few inches above my head. Peeking inside the restaurant itself, I noted that my assumption had been correct. At first sight, I didn't spot a single free table.

"It doesn't seem there's room for us." I whispered to Nick.

He scoffed and addressed the teensy animal. The latter gave us a look of nuisance and told us unkindly that there was no space left. He had likely dismissed a lot of potential customers already and was bored by the mammals that kept whining for a table even though it was evident the place was full.

"I booked on the name of Wilde, Nick." My partner spoke confidently.

Had he made a reservation? When? And how did he know I'd say yes to Italian food?

The critter hunched over the paper that lay before him, scanned it in an instant and concluded his search with an approving nod. He whistled sharply, summoning a raccoon with a hasty gait. He was dressed in a clean, white shirt, with perfectly ironed, black trousers and with a notebook and pencil in his breast pocket. Impatiently, he gesticulated at us to follow him. His agitation was probably due to him being the sole waiter, which was undoubtedly stressful with so many customers.

Slaloming around the other guests, I took in the details of the charming interior. The walls were given a gentle pink color, adorned with various paintings of beautiful Sicilian landscapes. In the corners and middle of the room stood large, chiffon columns, elegantly curving up into crossing archways that supported the ceiling. From each cross section hung a golden chandelier that cast a yellow glow the rest of the interior and its visitors. The tables and chairs were made of chestnut-brown wood, the former covered with a red and white checkered tablecloth and the latter having seats of braided reed. Most of the features bore a lot of similarities to Big's decoration, though this was, considering the shrew's Italian roots, not so surprising.

Upon arrival at our table, Nick courteously pulled back a chair for me. An embarrassing giggle escaped me as he did and I quickly sat down to hide myself in the menu. What would he think of me, I acted like I was in high school. I eyed him over the top edge of the cart as he poured in two glasses of water. He didn't seem to have noticed my mortifying response. Good. It was hard enough not to think of this evening as a date without _me_ giving him that idea as well.

"A shame there aren't any carrot recipes, isn't it?" He joked from behind his menu.

"Yeah. A real loss." I replied, despite not having given this matter any thought.

A raccoon waitress showed up a few minutes after, debunking my assumption that the male was the sole employee that ran around. She wore a black dress with a perfectly white apron and a cap on her head of the same white; all in all, a stereotype waitress. She placed a small basket filled with slices of bread in front of us and withdrew a pencil and a notebook from the pocket of the apron.

"Have you made a choice?" She asked, writing utensils at the ready to jot down our demands.

Nick and I exchanged a glance, gauging who would order first. He winked me to begin.

"I'll take the _Evergreen Salad_ with tomato and extra lettuce, please."

With a few agile scratches, she had noted my request. Nick took a dish called _Pizza al Tonno_ , which was apparently a pizza with tomato, cheese, onion, and tuna. The idea of fish made me shiver. I didn't like it, eating something that had been alive. Then again, I wasn't a predator so I wasn't supposed to like it I guess. With the waitress' promise that 'it would be ready soon', the stake-out for our meals began. Nick seized the opportunity to ask for my health. In an automated response, my paw went to my chest and took a deep breath. It didn't hurt much, yet it wasn't comfortable either.

"Oh boy, that sounds bad. Maybe it's for the best if I will feed you your lettuce." He spoke deadpanned.

I sniggered.

"Nice try, Nick."

With that joke, he had unknowingly eased my bashfulness and our wait expired under relaxed chitchat about various irrelevant topics. By the time our food arrived, Nick had just begun lecturing me on the etiquette of galas. He demonstrated the proper, haughty demeanor everyone was likely to uphold tomorrow. I leaned my head on my right paw as I watched him perform the, as he called it, 'rich man's toast'. In truth, I hardly paid attention to what he was doing. I had gotten lost in the beauty of that cream muzzle, leading into those deep, green irises.

"So, you think you can keep that up?"

"Keep what up?"

He sent me a stunned glare and I realized I had unwittingly insulted him by not listening.

I mumbled an apology and shamefully took a bite of my salad. I had been so preoccupied I had completely missed what he had said.

"I said, remember to always act like you own everything. When a drink is brought to you, you don't thank the waiter, you just take the drink because you're used to being served. Got it?"

"Hmm, okay."

"And everyone else is beneath you. For example, that waiter who brought you your drink, you don't talk to him, you don't grant him a second glance."

"That all sounds pretty mean and supercilious." I frowned.

"Exactly, but that's the natural way of life for these mammals."

"Are you sure? Big doesn't seem like that at all."

"Trust me." He swallowed the slice of pizza he was chewing on, "Tomorrow night, they'll _all_ act like pompous world owners. Even our little big friend."


	11. The Victim

**11\. The Victim**

 **==Nick==**

Once again, I found myself sitting in a car in front of The Grand Pangolin Arms. I had pulled over a few seconds ago, and checked my watch now to determine how early I was. It was seven fifteen; fifteen minutes earlier than when I normally arrived here. The agreement Judy and I had, dictated that either of us picked up and dropped off the other for a week, subsequently reversing the role the week thereafter. It had been our custom since we had become partners, and carpooling was also encouraged by Chief Bogo, as it was deemed environmental friendly by Gazelle. Today was originally Judy's turn, however I didn't mind taking over to further her convalescence. I contemplated going inside to meet her halfway, yet I gathered she was probably getting dressed 'n all, so I would only be messing up her morning routine. She'd look out her window once she was ready.

I angled back my chair, turned on the radio and reclined. With the pilot sunglasses on my nose, I closed my eyes and crossed my paws behind my head. Nothing better than a morning nap after a good night's sleep. And a good sleep it had been. After my dinner with Judy last night, she had assured me that it had been fun, and that the event was worth repeating. There were no words to describe how utterly happy I had been hearing that. Or maybe there were: Yes, yes, YES! At least, that's what I had felt the urge of crying out once I had stepped into my own apartment nine hours ago. I don't know why the foresight of another dinner-date excited me so much. It's not like anything had happened. In fact, the word 'date' had never been used the entire evening, nor had there been any reason to call it that, hence I strongly suspect that she hadn't seen it as an actual 'date'. Still. I couldn't get the image of Judy, loveably nibbling on a lettuce leaf, out of my mind. Or her enchanting giggle when I had offered her to sit down. It had been these small details that had made it memorable. As the radio tenderly hummed one of _Wolfplay_ 's latest hits: _Howl for the Weekend_ , I wagged my tail on the rhythm of the song in happiness. I was in a very good mood. This was going to be a great day; sunny, a little music and time to be spend with my bunny.

Sadly, that was about to change. Suddenly, my moment of quiet was rudely interrupted by a sharp , repetitive sound.

 _*Knock, knock, knock*_

I opened my eyes. Dharma Pangolin, Judy's landlady, was uncouthly bashing the side window of the car. Her withered face glared at me and she didn't even stop knocking after I signed that I had took notion of her presence. I hoisted my chair upright and turned down the volume of the speakers. I pressed the button next to me to let the glass slip down into the door.

"How can I help you?"

"What are you doing sitting in front of my apartment building like that? You think anybody is going to rent a room with a police stake-out on my doorstep?" She shouted in my ear.

I cringed from the noise. Boy, and they say I was cranky in the morning.

"Misses Pan-"

There was no room for intervention. The stream of agitated comments on my presence was infinite, like a monsoon raining down and washing away my blissful mood. She even brought along the oldest cliché of my life.

"What do you think my guests will say if they see a fox hanging around?"

Her racist remark had me yearn for the pistols of the firing range. They ought to put her picture on the targets. How crowded would that make the sign up list? Hell, we could start selling admissions!

Fortunately for Dharma, before she could fall victim to unnecessary and excessive police violence, Judy showed up to soothe the discussion. Or at least, avert Dharma's irascible attitude from me. Trying to stop it, seemed inane. Even Judy's optimism didn't succeed in gagging the old crow. Just then, the landlady said something that brightened my temper again.

"... if you want a fox for a boyfriend, that's your business! I don't want any of 'm seen in my apartments!"

Judy's face turned visibly red, yet I failed to determine whether it was from shame or anger. At this point, Dharma's irrationality was putting her under serious duress and for a moment I even feared that _Judy_ would end up being the one to resort to lethal weaponry, rather than me.

"We're very sorry, Misses Pangolin, but we have to race now to be in time for the mayor. Bye."

Judy hastened herself into the car and I derived from her body language that we had to leave as soon as possible. To oblige as best I could, I only shut the window when we were already on the road to the precinct.

"The mayor?" I questioned amused.

She huffed and gave me a dismissive wave with her paw.

"I had to try something to get her to stop." She grumbled.

"Why is that?" I asked.

She snorted to emphasize her cynicism.

"Oh yeah, because she really had something interesting to say."

"Hey, don't be so harsh, Judes!" I played, "that poor lady just wants to keep her apartments fox-free, where's the harm in that?"

"If you're so eager to humor her, then why are you still picking me up? You know she detests you."

"Aw, Carrots, this mean you're breaking up with me?"

Confused by first by my remark, she soon recollected what Dharma had said and her cheeks turned rosier.

"Oh, shut up Nick." She said looking out the window.

I laughed heartily, although a part of me had hoped she had answered that question with 'no', if only jokingly. To merge with our daily routine again, I rode to the Snarlbucks drive through and asked the microphone for our usual two cappuccinos. Joining the line in front of us, I looked my partner over. She sulked, peering out the window on her side of the car.

"Still mad at me?"

"Wh-wha?" She stammered, awakening from her thoughts.

I let my gaze rest on her.

"No, I wasn't mad at you. It's just that Dharma can be a real pain sometimes."

I nodded wisely. Dharma reminded me of a former neighbor of mine. I knew exactly how nightmarish those animals could be.

"No reason to let'em spoil your day, though."

She grumbled affirmatively, which was kind of paradoxical to what I stated.

"C'mon, we're going shopping with Fru Fru this afternoon." I soothed her, punching her shoulder as careful as I could, reminding myself of her injuries. "I thought women liked shopping?"

She was about to argue when her phone rang. When she picked it up, I could hear it was important. I paid for our coffee and placed the two steaming beakers in our cup holders. Her lips muttered a mute thank you and she took a sip as she prolonged her conversation with whomever it was. I reverently waited for her to hang up before asking for details.

"That was Officer Fangmeyer." She stored away her phone. "The polar bear from Sahara Square has revived and he is willing to talk to us."

 **==Judy==**

After climbing to the fifth floor of the Albert Schweizbear, it was another ten minutes' walk to the east wing where James, the former driver of the detonated limousine, was settled. Nick had challenged me to a race up the stairs. I had gladly accepted, though halfway, my chest had ached too much for me to go on. Nick was so kind as to let it end in a tie.

"Now we're both losers." He said.

Ever since my injury, he was so thoughtful of me. If I hadn't forcefully quit due to my bruised ribs, he had rubbed his victory in my face for the rest of the day. Instead, he suggested me to catch my breath atop the stairs, an offer I had gladly accepted before going on. On our way to the other side of the building, we came past many rooms, each similarly sober when it came to their interior. The rooms were, apart from a teal, sail floor, a pale kind of white; the main furniture being a couple of plastic tip-up chairs, four beds, each of those flanked by medical equipment. Among those machines, I recognized a heartbeat monitor and a stand with drip. Most of the rooms were unoccupied, yet it came to my attention that if the patients were conscious, they were rarely placed in a solitary room. A good policy if you asked me. Now the patients could always talk to their roommates should they get bored.

When we passed the corner, and entered the east wing, there were solely private rooms. I believed that all mammals here needed personal attention and a great deal of rest, neither of which would be possible in the other rooms.

Paying a close eye to Nick's behavior led me to believe that he wasn't fond of hospitals. He never dared to glance into a room, nor did he ever look at any patients we met in the hallway. He even ignored a vixen-nurse that gave him a charming hello. The disappointment on the female's face had felt sadistically good, a thought I quickly tried to shake off. Instead, I asked Nick about his evident revulsion of hospitals, a question which he answered with the statement that it was impolite to stare at sick animals. A valid point, but I didn't buy it. Albeit gazing was indeed uncivilized, it didn't explain his aversion to the staff.

When we reached James's room, Fangmeyer stood up enthusiastically, only to plump down with clear disappointment written on his face. He must have expected his substitute. Playing guard wasn't really the wolf's cup of tea. He was more of an active cop, always thrilled to answer calls for assistance in dangerous situations. Admirable as it was, I feared it might someday get him killed.

"Hey!" I greeted him cheerfully.

"Morning." He yawned in reply.

I reckoned he had been sitting here all night, keeping himself awake with coffee and occasional strolls a few meters up and down the corridor. I assured him that his replacement would be here soon, upon which he produced a tired, thankful smile.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it." He said, unleashing another contagious yawn.

Upon entry, James sat upright in his bed. He was eating his breakfast. It was a scanty meal for such a large bear; a few vegetables, a lump of bread, a handful of potato-parts and a cup of tea. I figured he must have some complaints about it, yet as all Big employees, he kept those to himself. I saw a twinkle of joy in his eyes when he recognized me and Nick, though he never brought that feeling to words.

"Good morning Mister-"

He shook his head and raised his paw to withhold me from talking on. A few seconds passed as he emptied his mouth after which he said:

"Please, James will do."

"All right, James." Nick picked up, "The question we're here to ask is pretty self-explanatory."

The bear nodded.

"It is, but I'm afraid I don't know how it happened. I was away for five minutes to grab a fruit shake at the market. I was on my way back when it blew. That shake saved my life. Well, that and you guys of course."

"Do you know of any mammals that might want to harm you?" I asked, bringing forth my notepad.

He cracked his cranium for a moment, then shook his head.

"No. Not any that hate me so much they want me dead."

"Does Mr. Big allow you to go for shakes during work hours?" Nick demanded spontaneously.

"No sir." The driver replied instantaneously apologetic. "But I was there for a client. We received an order for a limousine at that plaza."

I furrowed a brow indistinctively. That was a strange request. Normally you'd expect animals that wanted to be picked up at home or work. James took notion of my skepticism and agreed with me.

"We too found it odd, however we've had stranger calls over the years."

"Really, like what?"

"Nick." I hissed punitively.

I didn't want to tire the polar bear with useless discussions and we were lingering on an irrelevant topic. Nick raised his paws and took a few steps back, exaggerating an apology.

"Just curious." He mumbled slightly insulted. "Go ahead, don't mind me."

He threw his gaze outside through the window. I rolled my eyes. He could be such a child sometimes!

"So, somebody asked you to be specifically at _that_ point, _that_ plaza."

"Yes ma'am."

I wrote down this answer in detail. No matter how insignificant at first sight, details like these might be useful in unfolding the mystery of a case and lead to the one responsible. This was one of those unorthodox traits that might reveal itself later as cracking.

"But the client was never there?"

"I waited for fifteen minutes and then reported in, all in accordance with corporate standards. If you reach out to our HQ in tundra town, I think you can get the number that was used to order the limo. We mostly keep record of every call that comes in."

I nodded, scribbling down the core information. He excused himself for not being able to tell us more. I reassured, on the other hand, him that he had been of great help.

The door swung open and James's nurse entered the room. It was the same vixen that we had met in the hall before and I saw the corners of her mouth lift a little when she saw Nick. Behind her, I caught a glimpse of Fangmeyer being replaced by a fresh face. She guaranteed us that we could stay if we wanted as she was just here to make sure James had eaten his food and to check on his blood pressure. As she folded the rigid, black linen band around the polar bear's arm, she eyed Nick a few times. I found myself enjoying it that he didn't answer her ogling, visibly disappointing her. When did I become such a vile animal?

"There, all done. Your pressure seems fine James, at this rate, you'll be out of here and back to work in a couple of days."

"Back to work? Can't you prescribe me another week of rest?" James remarked, laughing sonorously with his bass-like voice.

The vixen produced her most charming laugh, hoping one last time to gain Nick's attention. He smiled back politely, but withheld himself from engaging on her advances. He could be more professional than I gave him credit for. And again, that weird feeling of triumph when the nurse ceased her attempts of seduction and left the room. My interest in Nick went far deeper than mere friendship, no matter how much I tried to persuade myself otherwise.

"Thank you, miste-"

James raised his finger to warn me.

"I'm sorry. James, thank you. We'll get in touch should we have further questions."

Outside, Fangmeyer was already gone. His replacement, Officer Higgins, gave us an apathetic hello and resumed reading his newspaper. Of all the employees at the ZPD, I had never managed to hook him into a conversation. As I recalled, he rarely spoke at all. He reminded me of Koslov. In comparison to the hippo, Big's prime henchman was quite a talkative mammal.

When we reached the end of the hallway, Nick nudged me with his elbow. From his amused expression, I happily derived he was no longer mad at me for my intervention during the interview.

"Imagine him and Koslov in a room together," He whispered, as if reading my mind. "who do you think would talk first?"

I looked at him with a tilted head, contemplating a proper reply. It soon struck me that this wasn't so difficult and Nick could only concur when I gave him my answer.

"Would there even be words, I wonder?"


	12. Adorning The Christmas Trees

**12\. Adorning the Christmas Trees**

 **==Nick==**

With a big sigh, I dropped myself onto the green metal bench. This wasn't the first one I had planted my behind on. It wasn't going to be the last either. Throughout the shopping mall there were occasional benches and as it was a normal workday - except for me and Judy - it wasn't very crowded, leaving most of them free for me to rest on.

The mall was four stories high, each of the upper floors having a section missing from the east entrance, all the way to the center. It accentuated the building's high, glass roof, also making the hall very bright. Billboards decorated the edges of each floor, sometimes reaching from the ceiling down to the first floor. They made the most use of the light as their fierce colorations literally made them scream out their messages to those who saw them. Upon entry, the customer was almost instantly informed of the bestsellers and reductions every store offered in their attempts to surpass the competition. The end of the hall, the middle point of the mall, also where I happened to be right now, was the place where you could buy drinks, salads, ice-cream and so on. Judy and Fru Fru had called in a short break to get some to refreshments. Meanwhile, I had sought refuge on this bench. I laid my head in my neck, stretching myself out. I noted the bronze sculpture of an elephant in a gymnastics outfit with a tutu and a ribbon staring down on me. It was surrounded by flower beds and fenced by metal benches, one of which I sat upon. I was glad that I didn't have to face the thing. It was hideous. Perhaps that was why the benches were positioned with their backs to it, I thought with a smirk.

My grin faded as I let out another sigh. Up until today I had had no idea that it was possible to long for police paperwork. Shopping with two women was far more exhausting than rumor had it. Thus far, we had scoured every square inch of the mall without buying a single thing! _'Skimming'_ they had told me it had been, _'to get an overall picture of what was sold, where and at what price'._ I reckoned the next phase would be to fit every one. My feet were already sore and weary. Not that it had been a physical exertion, just from the slow shambling past the windows. That, and the abrupt stops they made when a collection caught their attention. That unnecessarily slow and irregular movement was strangely tiring. To think that we had yet to begin the real shopping...

Don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with Judy, and Fru Fru wasn't unkind either, but why did this have to take so long? I mean, c'mon. How worked up could you get about clothing? Why not choose something nice and comfy and buy it? These women had a complete reasoning behind every fiber. _'That color was too much spring, and that pattern was too gaudy, and that tan was more for rhinos.'_ I understood now why Judy had scheduled our whole afternoon for this. We'd been here for over an hour and hadn't bought anything. At this rate, we wouldn't even be finished for the gala tonight. I spotted my two jailers return from buying our drinks. I cogitated escaping through the small sink underneath me.

"You ready to go?" Judy pitched delighted, handing me a soda.

At least someone was having fun. How had climbing stairs at the hospital worn her out, but not this? Fru Fru sat on Judy's shoulder, enjoying her tiny shake to the fullest.

"Sure." I lied, rising to my feet.

I put the straw in my mouth in the hope of avoiding making comments I might later regret.

"Good. Fru Fru and I have seen a lot of great stuff. Also for you."

"For me?" I demanded.

"Yes. Remember I told you we'd be buying you some new clothes?"

"You were serious about that?"

She tilted her head, her ears bending sideways like grass in the wind.

"Eh, yeah. Gosh Nick, having ten sets of the exact same outfit is ridiculous, even for male standards."

"I don't have ten!" I defended.

She shot me an amused glare.

"Seven maybe," I mumbled, quickly boosting my volume afterwards "That doesn't matter. The real question is, what's wrong with the outfit?"

Her friend joined her in piercing me with their typical raised eyebrow look. God, I hated that look. How could something so passive as a mere expression be so utterly discomforting. Without struggling any further, I gave in and the matter was closed in silence and we went on our second stroll past the endless windows. I was glad to find that we went inside one of the shops this time. There it turned out that my joy was short-lived.

"What's your size Nick?"

With the hope that not answering would lead to a quick escape I kept quiet.

"Nick!" Judy repeated in a scolding tone.

"CS." I replied reluctantly.

"Canine Small. I figured as much!" Fru Fru uttered, enthusiastically jumping between the shelves, consulting the labels.

Judy collected all things Fru Fru pointed out as improvements to my current outfit and were properly sized. Apart from being called a troglodyte in fashion, I was also deemed incapable of making suitable combination as it was laid out to me which shirt had to be matched with which trousers. After a couple of minutes I was sent to the fitting room with a pile of garments. I didn't protest anymore; I had given in to that being pointless. In the hour that followed, I felt like a doll being dressed by a kid. Stepping out of the small chamber, I was first received by a wry look, then Judy correcting the edges, sleeves or whatever wasn't hanging the way it should, and finally a critical review. More than often, my own opinion wasn't even asked for, which was kind of silly as it was going to be my wardrobe that we were selecting.

"This one is a keeper!" Judy called out when I appeared in yellow polo shirt.

I couldn't help myself any longer. I feigned an expression of honest inquisitiveness and asked as innocent as I could:

"Me? Or the thing I'm wearing?"

Her cheeks bloomed red so fast it was hard not to laugh.

"I-errr…ahem..."

Fru Fru giggled at Judy's lack of words as well.

"Both of course!" She cheered, saving her.

After that, nothing much happened and we left the shop carrying two bags of brand news outfits. No, wait. I left the shop carrying two bags. They're your clothes, you carry 'm. Although I didn't argue with this statement, the foresight that I'd be carrying _their_ newly bought stuff as well in an hour, did nestle itself in my mind.

The next shop we encountered was for the ladies. Well, for Judy to be more precise. Fru Fru wasn't here to buy. She was here to bestow upon us her gift of fashion insight. Once she discovered the racks of clothing, the entire process reinitiated: fishing out the right size and determine the best pieces by trial and error. I found myself a chair, only to be asked to hold on to a couple of things seconds later, forcing me to stand up. I wondered whether this move had been the intention. After being given the first coat, more soon followed as Fru Fru wanted Judy to fit every possible outfit the store had in her size. That was a part I didn't mind so much. Having a reason to quietly stare at Judy, whilst presenting herself in various outfits, made up for a lot of the earlier agitation. In a few instances, Fru Fru solicited for my view as well. Those moments were less pleasant. I had to overcome my adoration for Judy and come up with an empirical observation. That was already quite hard – Judy looked great in everything – where it not for the fact that no matter what I said, it was never the appropriate description. Modern? Wrong. It was retro. Colorful? Wrong again. It was autumn-somber. Nice? Wrong! It was terrible. And then there were the times that I thought to know what the right term was, only to find myself rephrased by the Big's daughter again.

"This I know! That is a dress! Right?" I asked cynically.

It was obvious that it was, though my cynicism was overlooked entirely. In fact, I was proven wrong again as became clear that it wasn't a dress after all.

"Actually, this is a _caftan_. A dress is more of a wider term. It could indicate all sorts of dresses. There are sheath dresses, shift dresses, maxi dresses, wrap dresses, trapeze dresses, slip dresses, shirt dresses, bustle dresses, jumper dresses..."

My head spun as she kept naming them by heart. I had no idea so many different names and styles existed, and if I had, I'd never have imagined anyone would be capable to distinguish between them. Luckily, Judy's appearance in her own clothing terminated the flow of gown-species that dazed my mind.

"And?"

Judy looked over the coat rack which had formerly been me.

"The green shirt was okay and the purple sheath dress was pretty." She concluded.

"Yeah! That was totally adorable! Excellent choices, hon." Her friend agreed.

Fru Fru snapped her fingers at me. I glared back; I was not one of her butlers for crying out loud! Judy looked at me quizzically, laced with curiosity as to what my reaction would be to this act. Angry, yet willing to keep the peace, I picked the complementary pieces from the wardrobe that I was carrying around and handed them to my lagomorph friend.

"We'll pay for these." The shrew said. "Would you mind hanging those back?"

Before I could protest, she already thanked me and preceded Judy to the cash desk. The latter give me a wanly smile, then quickly tagged along. I groaned and began returning the clothes that weren't approved. At first I figured Fru Fru to be nice. Sadly, over the course of our shopping adventure, she had gotten bossy and curt, and I was getting fed up with it. The little tyrant was more like her father than she knew. Then, things got only worse for me.

As I hung one of the dresses - I'd keep calling them that, no matter if Fru Fru disapproved or not - back near the exit, I heard a hoarse laughter. I looked up annoyed. I was not exactly in the mood to tolerate being made fun of. When I saw who it was, my anger slipped into self-pity. Why, of all animals, was he the one to see me in a store for women's apparel...

"Out to buy a new dress, Nick?" Finnick laughed, pointing at the beige cloth on the hanger.

"It's not a dress, it's a caftan." I retorted.

He wasn't insulted by me proving his lack of knowledge however, especially since it regarded the field of women's clothing. It made him laugh only harder. I frowned as I returned another piece to its original position.

"Apologies Miss Wilde." He taunted on, "I was just wondering if, hehehe, if you were aware that the lipstick is on discount over there."

"Shut up, Finnick."

He barked again with laughter and took off his shades to wipe the tears from his eyes. As I hung back the last two dresses, he managed to regain his breath.

"Okay, okay. I'm good now."

"You sure? You don't look fine." I remarked.

He cleared his throat, then resumed talking whilst polishing his sunglasses with the bottom edge of the navy-blue shirt he was wearing.

"So, Miss Wilde. If you're not here for a new dress, then why you're here?"

"Nick? Who are you..." Judy caught sight of the fennec fox. "Oh hey!"

Visibly amused by the answer to his question, he looked from me to Judy and back to me. I read thoughts on his face I didn't like.

"Hi." He said eventually.

"What were you guys talking about?"

"Well, we were-"

"We talked about which dress would fit best with Nick's eyes." Finnick broke in deadpanned.

The girls both chuckled behind their paws as my short friend continued with suggesting different colors that might match my fur color. I felt a rage building, though I wasn't sure if it was due to the jokes or the sniggering. I'd be killing someone shortly, I was sure of it. Fortunately, it never came to that point.

"Hey! I got an idea. What if Fru Fru and I are going to find me something and you and Finnick find you something."

"Yeah! Women amongst each other!" Fru Fru cheered.

At last! My ticket out of here!

"Sounds like a great idea!"

"Wait, wha-"

"I'll see you for dinner then?" I interrupted my friend, addressing Judy.

"Okay. See ya!"

As they wandered off, I heaved a contented sigh, also since I didn't have to carry their stuff after all. When they were out of hearing distance, Finnick stomped me hard against my thigh.

"What the hell Nick." He snarled. "If you think I'm gonna hold your hand whilst buying clothes-"

"Relax. You don't have to do anything. I just needed to escape."

"Yeah, right." He huffed. "And why's that?"

"Because it is a living hell to shop with those two!"

"With those two? Or with the mouse?"

A trepidation crept up on me.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked cautiously.

"You think I didn't notice what's been goin' on?"

"I have no idea what you mean." I responded, evading his glare.

"Nick. Man. I don't mind if you wanna date the bunny, just don't try to lie to me, okay?"

I swallowed the wrong way and started coughing to push the fluid out of my lungs again. We halted and he watched me struggle. He smirked satisfied.

"No, Nicky. You can't hide nothing from me, you should know that."

I was so dumbstruck by his knowledge of my feelings, that I didn't even bother to deny. Then again, as said before, we were like brothers and we could pinpoint the other's moves and thoughts quite accurately.

"For how long?"

He shrugged.

"Does it matter? The question is, what's this mouse doing on your date?"

I explained to him the chain of events that led us to the shopping mall. He nodded.

"Big's daughter? God Nick, think of the ransom money we could get!"

I granted him a warning glare.

"Relax. I'm kiddin'." He punched my thigh, softer than before, "Anyway. That party sounds like a good opportunity to strengthen your bond with Miss Fuzz."

"Yeah, we… wait. What? No! Finnick. We're gonna be there for work, okay?"

He a brow emerged from underneath the sunglasses he had put back on a few minutes ago. Why was everybody doing that to me lately.

"Nick, my friend, it's a gala! Women _love_ galas. And Judy is a woman. So, what does that mean?"

"But she's never attended one before."

"Even better! You'll be able to blow her mind with that romance an all."

I mulled it over and concluded his reasoning to be correct. The air at a gala was undoubtedly romantic and if Judy and I went there as companions, I'd have a solid reason to keep her by my side during the entire evening. I wonder if Big still held up to the tradition of the midnight dance. Hopefully. Then he'd oblige the couples to dance together. That would include me and Judy. My heart made a jump for joy by the thought.

"The question is, what will you wear?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well. Knowing Mr. Big, he'll invite wealthy guests. That means Fru Fru will now be dressing Judy just as wealthy. And that means…" he removed his shades and peered over the names of the shops until his sight crossed the proper one "… you need something nice and shiny too."

I bent my knees to follow his index finger and found the shop he was referring to was _Bearberry_.

"Does it have to be that one?" I asked in despair, thinking of my wallet.

He slapped me on the back.

"Positive."

"Oh boy…"

 **==Judy==**

"Turn around…mhm… Now spin."

With pleasure, I made the requested moves. It was entertaining, whirling on your axis with a ball gown, the fabric waving around you. It gave an enjoyable feeling that I couldn't quite put it to words, though I liked it every time. Fru Fru sat on one of the tables and judged with great expertise. I didn't know how it was that her comments always seemed to be spot on, but they were. I was glad I had brought her along. Regardless of that I had lied to Nick about this being my first gala, there were so many possibilities here to choose from, that I couldn't decide what would be the proper one. Once I had told her this, she had rubbed her paws and had been exalted with this challenge. So here I was, awaiting the revisions of my tiny friend on this teal gown.

"And?" I questioned.

"U-hunh." She hummed, thinking it over.

I stared into the mirror and saw myself. The folds of turquoise followed my movements gracefully, always ceasing their movement a second after my own. Although I found it beautiful, it was a bit on the long side in my opinion and I had to mind my feet repeatedly to not step onto the lower edges.

"In truth, hon, I think it's too bright. You'll catch a lot of eyes this way, though I'm not sure that's what you want. The evening doesn't revolve around you. No offense."

"None taken."

I mused about her comments. It was indeed quite flashy.

"You're right. Not this one."

I retreated into the fitting room to change. Inside I had made two racks; one with the things I had already tried on, another with the ones I hadn't yet. My own clothes were draped across the small stool standing in the corner. As I wriggled myself out of this dress and slipped into the next, Fru Fru noticed our parallel, non-apparel related, conversation.

"So why did you tell him that you've never been to a gala?"

"I don't know."

The downside of having told her, was that she kept going on about it.

"Isn't it nice to go on a date with him?"

"A date?" I let out.

The term had been echoing in my head ever since Nick had signed us up for Big's party. I thought it had been figments of my own imagination. A spin-off of the dreams Nick's eyes stirred up in me, as they had done at _Pizza, Pasta e Più_.

"Yes, a date. Going to a gala, together with such a handsome fox. How can you not see it that way?"

I pulled aside the curtain and emerged from the chamber in a Kelly-green, laced dress.

"Ugh. Why did we even consider that one! Take it off! Take it off!" She cried out disgusted, fluttering her hands.

"You think Nick's handsome?"

Her face recovered and she looked at me intrigued.

"Well yeah. Just because I'm married, doesn't mean I don't recognize a good-looking mammal."

"Fair enough." I agreed with a smile.

"Wouldn't you say he's handsome?" She asked.

I thought of Nick's physiognomy, summoning his entire stature in my mind. I tried to compare him to other mammals I knew, although I didn't quite know who to compare him to. Honestly, I found Nick highly attractive. Maybe more than I should. He was my best friend and it felt so weird to think of him as my crush rather than my colleague.

"I guess." I answered vaguely.

"Oh Judy. Don't need to plan dumb with me. A rugged predator like him, no need to be ashamed!"

I looked at her doubtful. It was very tempting to share my deepest secret with her. Then she roared to impersonate a predator, holding out her paws like claws. It was kind of cute due to her small size and high-pitched voice. She finished with a wink and suddenly, she made me think of Nick. I blushed as result of it and fumbled restlessly with the price tag of my dress.

"Please don't tell him." I asked slightly afraid.

"Relax dear, I won't say anything to anyone." She pledged.

"Thank you."

"On the condition that you free yourself from the clutches of that repulsive green thing!"

I laughed and returned to the fitting room for another swap.

"But now that we've confirmed that it's a date, we need something glamorous. Something with panache. Something mind-dazzling."

As she babbled on over the requirements for my corporeal adornment, I got drawn to a small patch of cloth sticking out from underneath my pile of unworn items. For unknown reasons, my gut told me I needed to try that one. I put it on and opened the curtains. Fru Fru was looking at her phone, for as yet unaware of me. In two swift paces, I stood in front of the mirror. Not only was it a perfect fit, it was absolutely –

"Gorgeous…"

I turned to see Fru Fru's little eyes sparkle at the sight of my dress.

"It's absolutely gorgeous!" She said dreamily. "With that, he won't be able to keep his eyes off of you."

"You think?" I blushed shyly, glancing back at my image in the mirror.

"Honey, I'll bet you my husband on it!"

* * *

 _ **Hey fans.**_

 _ **Currently I'm also working on an important thesis as well, so that may affect my update speed as I'm not inclined to spend both work and spare time typing on my laptop. I'll try not to postpone the next chapter for too long though, I'm sure (and I hope) most of you are looking forward to Big's gala. As am I. Anyway, see you in the next chapter!**_

 _ **K.R.,**_

 _ **J. Caesar**_


	13. The Big Gala (1)

**13\. The Big Gala (1)**

 **==Nick==**

 _*Plock*_

The door unlocked tougher than I wanted. With a simple flick of my wrist, I flung my keys onto the table, where the potted plant Judy had given me a few weeks back, brought them to a halt. I pushed open the door and placed the bags of new clothes inside my bedroom. I stuck my head back into my 'living room' and looked at my clock. Four and a half hours left before the gala would begin. Plenty of time to get ready and make dinner for when Judy'd come by.

I returned to the novel additions of my wardrobe. On my pillow lay the most expensive one of them all. _Bearburry,_ the letters wrote on the outside. Apart from that one, I spread the clothes out on the bed. It made confess that the things they had persuaded me to buy, were indeed nice. Without further dawdling, I stored every piece in the, by me assigned, appropriate drawer, leaving only this evening's outfit. I took off my clothes, stuffed them into my washing machine and stepped under the shower. After having dried myself and brushed the tangles from my fur, I ventured back into my bedroom. On hands and knees, I reached into the bottom of my closet until my hand came into contact with an old, damaged box. The cardboard was bruised and soft due to its age, though the contents were not that vulnerable hence it sufficed. Blindly ploughing through the items within, I ultimately withdrew a small sack, , sallow-black of colour. I untied the yellow knot that kept it closed and shook the two cufflinks onto the palm of my hand. Their silvery glance reflected the sunlight that entered through my window. All those years in the closet didn't seem to have affected them at all. The round buttons were engraved with a single letter each: one with a 'P', the other with a 'W'. Once they decorated my father's suit on the day of his marriage to my mother…

I sat down on the bed and mused about a sudden, extreme fantasy that popped into my mind. Judy as my wife, that was a very weird thought. Surely I loved her like no other, but marriage… It seemed so intense, so life changing. I didn't even have the guts to tell her how I felt, let alone ask her to share our worlds. Besides, I had for as yet no idea if she liked me back. And if so, would she be willing to marry _a fox._ No. I was getting ahead of things too much. Maybe one day this topic would matter, not tonight. Tonight, it was going to be me, her and a room stuffed with zooicidal criminals. That reminded me not to forget why we were going to be there. We had to pick out the most likely suspects for the attacks on Mr Big and his employees.

 _*Buzzzz*_

The vibrating phone rattled on the cupboard next to my bed. It was a message from Judy.

 _Hey Nick. Gotta cancel dinner. Sorry! Fru Fru and I are just done shopping. Eat at her place. Cya tonight xx_

I checked the time in the top corner of my phone. It was five o'clock. They had actually managed to spend over five hours at the mall. Thank goodness I escaped with Finnick when I had the chance. Although sad that we weren't gonna have dinner together, my eyes wandered off to the pair of crosses at the end. Kisses. I smiled. It didn't matter to me that she always ended her texts with it, it made me very warm. I asked myself out loud if she'd end her texts to everyone with them. Even that thought couldn't supress the joy the two letters gave me.

After a few seconds of staring dreamily at the ceiling, I put on a t-shirt and shorts. It would be better to eat first and dress afterwards. Imagine arriving there with stains on a two months' salary suit.

 **==Judy==**

"Was everything to your satisfaction, sir?"

Vincenzo, a short stocky boar with a thin, curling moustache and Mr Big's Cook, humbly informed after his boss's opinion on today's work. Slightly bent forward and facing his own feet, he waited as the shrew calmly wiped his mouth with a napkin. He had appeared as soon as we had finished the last dish and the mammals responsible for clearing the table had been summoned.

"It was, though shouldn't you be posing that question that to our guest?"

"Of course, sir. You are right, sir." He agreed.

The fact that this punishing remark did not unnerve the cook, suggested that he was probably in Big's service for quite some time already. Following this interaction, the boar positioned himself in front of me in an equally respectful posture. I spotted some stains on Vincenzo's white costume which had hardly been notable at a distance, yet drew attention now that he was this close. This pleased me, for it led me to believe that he wasn't one of those chefs that only gave orders to servants, but actually made the dishes himself.

"Was everything to your satisfaction, milady?"

It was funny to be called a lady. After this flamboyant dinner, it was another taste of the luxurious air that was part of daily life in these circles.

"It was delicious! You did a great job!"

"Milady is too kind." He responded unmoved.

Maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic. Nick had told me it wasn't customary. Maybe Vincenzo was wondering why Big had invited such a lowborn rabbit like myself. I needed to act more dignified next time.

After thanking Mr Big a second time, the cook departed, leaving just Mr Big, Fru Fru and me.

"Are you looking forward to the gala?" She asked me.

"Sure, don't you?"

"Oh I'm not attending."

"What? Why not?" I uttered downcast.

"The evening will be too crowded for her. She's due next week, so we need to avoid too much stress."

"Ah, I understand."

"Speaking of the gala."

Big waved his fingers over his head, gesturing to one of the cupboards against the wall. Koslov accepted the command without producing a sign that he did and made his way to the designated object. He retrieved something from the top drawer and came back to us. He held out his paws to me, presenting a small, navy blue box. It looked even tinier in the huge white hands that supported it. I took it over and placed it in front of me on the table. Staring at me was a pair of glistening, white-gold earrings. An inch long and shaped like ties, a lozenge tanzanite embedded in the middle. Just the sight made my heart beat faster. They were breathtakingly beautiful and undoubtedly very, _very_ expensive.

"Consider it a late birthday gift. Fru Fru reminded me that I had never attended it last month, so that needed to be rectified."

"But I…"

I hesitated. Getting things like these during an ongoing investigation came awfully close to a bribe.

"Fru Fru also advised me" Big proceeded unruffled, "that rabbits don't usually wear earrings because they don't want to puncture their ears. Therefore I had these adjusted to clip-on's instead."

I picked one of them up to ascertain that he was right. Dangling from in between my fingertips, the lilac gem radiated gorgeously in the yellow light of the chandeliers. My head told me to turn it down, yet that thought weakened as the jewels mesmerized me with their beauty. I meticulously put it back in the box and closed it.

"I-I'm not sure that I can accept these." I said, despite my immediate love for the earrings.

"Hehe, afraid I'm trying to bribe you?" Big laughed.

Of course he could deny it today, however if he needs me tomorrow, he could resort back to this gift, could he not? My instincts might tell me Big wasn't the type for that, my superficial knowledge of his business was evidence contradicting that sense. Still. They were so pretty…

"Are they not too expensive? I'm afraid they're worth more than I am myself." I said in a last effort to reassure myself.

Big made a scornful noise. The topic of price tags clearly didn't please him.

"Money is not an issue. This is simply a gift to symbolize what you mean to my family."

"And, they match your dress perfectly!"

A knock on the door and another black-suited polar bear entered through one of the side entrances. He hastened himself towards his employer and whispered something in his ear. The addressed animal nodded seriously and beckoned Koslov.

"I hear that our first guests are here… Ladies." He excused himself and after he was picked up, the three men left.

I looked up at the carved wooden clock on the other side of the dining room. It was seven fifteen. Whoever these guests were, they were quite early. When we waited for the last dishes to be taken away, Fru Fru reassured me that, despite not being present, she'd help me dress for the gala. Then she jumped from her chair and landed flexibly on her feet. Covering a total height of more than a metre, I questioned the true depth of her 'impairing' condition.

"Oh I'm fine." She said. "It's not that I'm handicapped or something."

"Really? You are pregnant after all."

She looked herself over as if she hadn't even noticed it.

"My dad's just overprotective that's all. The only reason I'm not going to the gala, is because he doesn't want me to. If it were up to me, I'd already be muzzle-deep in my make-up box!"

We began walking towards the giant, marble hallway from where we'd be going upstairs to her room.

"Then why don't you?"

"Well. That I feel fit, doesn't mean I am. It is possible that I'm overestimating and start puking halfway the evening and that's not very glamorous. Trust me, I've been there."

I chuckled.

"When it comes to your own wellbeing, friends and family sometimes know better than you yourself."

I realized that this is exactly what I learned when Nick confronted me after the accident. He had convinced me to see a doctor, which turned out to have been necessary. Since then, he had been monitoring my health a lot better than I had myself.

At the bottom of the stairs, we ran into Big and his first guest. To my surprise, it was a fellow lagomorph; an arctic hare with snow-white fur, a little above my size, in a grey suit with black stripes running vertically down his outfit. From underneath his sleeves and collar, a lavender shirt jutted out. The two seemed to have a business conversation and I tried to sneak past without interrupting, yet the moment the hare's gaze met my own, he tightened his tie and called me over.

"Forgive me, miss, I hadn't had the pleasure?"

He courteously bowed forward and reached for my paw. To avoid awkwardness, I gave it to him. He pressed a gentle kiss on it, unfortunately not letting go afterwards. He eyed me extensively, making me highly uncomfortable.

"Hopps, Judy Hopps."

"A name almost as pretty as its owner..."

I felt a nausea coming up.

"… Jake Hare, at your service. Always a pleasure to meet congener in this line of work, wouldn't you agree?"

"Actually, Miss Hopps is a member of the ZPD." Big corrected him.

Deriving from his tone, he was happy to break it to him. Simultaneously, I too hoped that this would scare him off. There was something about this guy that was creepy. Even though he was good looking, I couldn't shake the unpleasant vibe occupying every fibre of my body. As if my gut warned me that he was bad news.

"Really? How intriguing." He said, undeterred by the notification. "And are you here too for the gala, Miss Hopps?"

"Indeed I am." I replied, still trying to free my hand from his.

"Judy. Are you coming?" Fru Fru demanded from atop the stairs.

"In a second!"

At last I regained control of my own limb and climbed up the stairs.

"I look forward to seeing you again tonight."

I shuddered and quickly tailed my friend to her room. Glancing back at the hare, who had meanwhile resumed his conversation with Mr Big, I prayed that not everyone was going to be like him tonight.

 **==Nick==**

In contrast to yesterday's visit, the parking garage was a lot fuller today. After parking, I made a short stroll and to watch all the bolides that stood on display. There were high ranking brands, like Furrari and Mouserati, but also more modest vehicles like my own sedan. Raymond, who had been assigned the duty of guiding the guests to the front door, glared at me menacingly. He remembered my former schemes and did not like me hanging around the cars of the others. I couldn't really blame him for that, so I quickly stuck to him on route to the mansion. The warmth I had felt at home upon putting on the suit was sucked out of my body in seconds the moment we got outside. The meandering path to the main entrance was lighted by small spots that kept themselves snow-free with the heat they generated. Another paradoxical feeling in comparison to yesterday was that I got more excited with every step closer. I looked forward to showing off my Bearburry suit with complementary shirt and bow to Judy. I had even spent time to brush my fur. Tonight, I was going to be the best looking chap at the party. Or so I hoped.

Inside, I found that the hallway had for occasion been turned into a cloakroom. On the right, an elongated table with a white tablecloth offered the guests the opportunity to drop off their coats and bags, after which they'd be distributed over the hooks in a numerical fashion. On the left, the two doors leading to the huge ball room of Big's villa were closed to keep the gala sheltered from the wardrobe. I could hear a lot of animals already being inside. The other doors of the building, for example those that lay past the giant stairs, were barricaded by steel poles, tethered together with a thick, maroon ribbon.

Raymond left me at the desk and returned to his post outside. I guess he was so gruff because he had to stand outside all night. Since I solely wore my suit, there was nothing for me to declare at the racks, however the line that waited for entry deliberately led past this point, hence I had to wait for everyone in front of me. In this line, I soon recognized a few faces.

One of them was Vladimir Lupinski, a long, male grey wolf. He was exceptionally tall for his kind and strong too. He was flanked by three of his men, although I was not familiar with their names or faces; all of them in steel-blue suits with ties in matching colour and shirts of white, like mine. Vlad was the alpha of a group of mercenary timber wolves, the same group that Mayor Lionheart had recruited to abduct and hold the savage animals. He was infamous for his brutal regime amongst his employees, which in his opinion bred an organisation of powerful soldiers. Despite that advantage, the downside to this approach was that more than often his leadership was disputed by a lower in command. This could then, according to the rules Vlad had set up, only be resolved through a bloody form of paw-to-paw combat in a location of the challenger's choosing. Thus far, he had always been able to fight off his opponents by means of his sheer size and strength. It was my belief that _that_ was the reason he had made this rule; paw-to-paw combat leaning dominantly on the power of both contesters, it gave him a clear advantage from the start.

Two mammals in the row behind Vlad stood Marilyn, an amur leopard in a long dinner dress as black as the night. I came to the realization that I didn't even know her last name. She was a renowned bounty-hunter and had earned her fortune with taking out some very important and inaccessible animals. Nobody knew exactly how she had become so efficient, although it was clear that she was someone to be cautious with. I had spoken to her once, on one of Big's previous galas as fate would have it. She had explained to me that she had attained so much wealth that, nowadays, she only took jobs that appealed to her.

Suddenly, I felt a strong grip around my throat and I was lifted two feet off the ground. As I tried to free myself from the tough hided snake that coiled around my neck, my assailant turned me to face him.

"I don't know how you managed to slither your way in here, but soon you'll wish that you hadn't, old friend."

A fear crept up on me as the speaker that held me was certainly _not_ a friend of mine. Ganesh, an Indian elephant, had sworn to kill me the first best time we would ever meet again. This was of course after I had ripped him off for about a thousand bucks. Clearly he hadn't forgotten about that promise yet. Even if I could've produced a reply, which was kind of difficult with my larynx being squashed, I wouldn't know where to start.

A yellow-black blur flashed by my eyes, paralyzing the gripping trunk and resulting in me landing on the floor. As I gasped for air, I noticed it was Marilyn who had come to my aid.

"What for the dickens?!" Ganesh cried out, rubbing his sore trunk.

"Big told us that there were going to be no fights on this gala. What makes you so eager to antagonize him so soon on the evening?"

"This fox is a bloody thief, that's why! No doubt he only came here to steal and…"

He was silenced by a powerful paw on his shoulder.

"He came here" Big interrupted, "on my request."

Koslov's paw rested on Ganesh's shoulder as he held his boss in the other. The polar bear more than matched the elephant in length and judging from the painful grin on the latter's face, also in strength.

"Y-your request?" Ganesh stuttered nervously.

"My request."

"For the devil why? He is –"

"You may not know it, Ganesh, but Nick here is a ZPD officer nowadays."

"An officer? Him?!" Ganesh scoffed.

"Yes. And he and his colleague are good friends of mine. That's why I invited them. I hope you don't have any issues with that?"

Big's tone was neither friendly nor unfriendly. It was surprisingly calm and low, giving it perhaps an even more menacing touch. The elephant apologized and quickly went inside the ball room. Marilyn helped me back on my feet.

"You alright hon?"

"Yes. Thank you." I coughed.

I looked at her quizzically.

"If I may, why'd you help me out?"

She smiled.

"That's what friends do, Nicky."

"We're friends? Oh sorry, didn't mean to be rude." I added.

"We've met at a gala similar to this one, remember?"

I nodded.

"I do, I just didn't think you would either."

She shrugged.

"Sure. You were one of the few who had spoken to me without an ulterior motive. I'm so tired of everyone just trying to get me to like 'm, just so they can ask me for favours. When I saw you on the news a few weeks back and saw you'd become an officer, I started following your feats. You're quite a celeb in the papers lately."

I laughed.

"I guess that's what you get when you're teaming up with Zootopia's most notorious copper."

"Big mentioned a colleague…" She said, evidently asking whether that colleague and my partner were the same.

"Yep, that's Judy alright. It's her that I'm waiting for actually."

"The bunny, right?"

"That's the one."

"Then I think your wait is over." She said, nodding to the stairs.

"Hmm?"

I followed her gaze and found what she meant. The moment thereafter, everything around me fell away. All I could see, was Judy in her tea length ball gown. It was a simple yet elegant design, the lilac colouration identical to that of her irises and contrasting her grey and white fur beautifully. The top of the dress covered her upper arms and chest, not her shoulders, went on into a tapered waist to eventually flare out and fall just below her knees. The overall shape of the dress accentuated her beautiful, slim figure and the fabric shimmered dazzlingly as it followed her every move as she treaded down the stairs. Her fur was brushed to the extent where it almost glimmered in the faint gleam of the artificial light. I blinked a few times to see whether it was really her, realizing that she was also wearing a pair of silver earrings. Embedded within were gemstones that in turn matched the purple shade of the dress. The rings themselves were attached to the lowest part of her ears, just above her head, where they dangled cutely like the carrot-hangers on the rear-view mirror in her car. I never thought she'd be able to look prettier than usual, however tonight her grace rendered me speechless. Behind my back, I pinched myself in the arm to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

"Aw!"

"What?" Marilyn asked.

"Nothing." I rubbed my arm.

"She looks beautiful."

"Absolutely." I agreed without hesitation.

If others said it too, it had to be true and there would be no suspicion in me agreeing to that.

"So, she's gonna be your date for tonight?"

I thought to hear a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Yes she is." I answered proudly.

"Then you'd better hurry to make sure someone else won't take her."

Clueless at first, I soon spotted that I wasn't the only one who took an interest in Judy's entrance. More mammals around me had their sights fixed on her and one, a pale hare, even went as far as going over and kissing her hand. Immediately I felt an unreasonable jealousy. He was flirting with her. With my Judy! Well, technically I didn't really have a right to call her that, but she… Wait, why was I pondering about this! I stop loitering and get my tail over there!

"Would you excuse me." I made an obeisance to Marilyn.

Marilyn smiled and spread her paw as to allow me to leave and not a second later, I hurried myself to the bottom of the stairs.

 **==Judy==**

Fru Fru's idea of a making a spectacular entree to the party was a great success, however I didn't quite know whether I was content about that. I cast down my eyes to avoid staring straight into the curiosity of the animals in the hallway. I didn't like getting so much attention, it made me nervous. And to make it worse, Jake Hare returned to stalk me.

"It appears that you are shy of a male counterpart for the evening, Miss Hopps." Jake smiled, once more seizing my paw.

"Not at all, mister Hare, I-"

"Jake, please."

"Jake." I repeated uninterested, "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

"Why wait? Why not let me guide you inside?"

This guy was begging for a slap across the face. It was time to follow Fru Fru's advice to be more direct and I pulled my hand rudely from his clutches.

"I'd rather not, thank you." I replied haughtily.

"Alright then." He said agitated. "Should you change your mind, you know I'll be around."

When he left, I felt some regret with respect to my bluntness. Sadly, Fru Fru had been right when she had said it was the mere thing this guy would understand. I flattened my gown to make sure I looked at my utmost when Nick would arrive and adored its beauty once again. Another thing Fru Fru had been right about: this dress was absolutely gorgeous.

"Good evening, Milady."

I turned around to see another man bent forward. He had also already taken the liberty to kiss my paw. This was going to be a long night if all I met would impertinently press their lips on my hands. When the male reared upright however, I got a surge of surprise and excitement.

"N-Nick?"

He grinned at me.

"Hey Carrots." He said, dropping his random gentleman act.

"I hardly recognized you."

Being used to the occasionally overly-casual appearance Nick used to uphold, the groomed fur, dark bowand neatsuit were an astounding change. His suit was as black as a raven's feather and fitted him excellently, the edges curving around his shoulders just right and the folds in his pants aligning with his own stature. From below his jacket, a brand-new white shirt betrayed its presence around his collar and his wrists; the bottom edges of its sleeves decorated with silver cufflinks. Without asking, I lifted his arm and to get a good look at them. Each was marked with their own letter: 'P' and 'W'. As I let go of his arm, the suit hardly rumpled, underscoring the good quality of the garments. That, together with the perfect fit made me confident that it was like to be tailor made and as such, had likely cost him an arm and a leg. My own dress too had been expensive, yet for me, Fru Fru had paid the check. Her idea of birthday shopping meant paying for everything.

"Nor I you. Look at you!"

I blushed and twirled proudly. Hopefully he loved this dress as much as I did.

"You like it?"

"Sure do. You look amazing!"

"Thanks. You too."

I was disappointed that he had beat me to complementing my outfit. Now my comment sounded like it was made out of decency rather that honesty, and I really wanted him to know that I appreciated how well he had dressed. He tugged the sides of his fuscous bow and held out his arm to me. I curled my paws around it and together we walked towards the ballroom. I looked him over through my peripheral vision. He was so tidy and handsome. The idea of him wearing a slobby, green shirt seemed nigh unimaginable. I unwittingly bit my lip; why couldn't he always look like this?

* * *

 _ **Hey fans, me again.**_

 _ **As you noticed, I denoted the title with a (1). My original intention was to put it in a single chapter, but I realized that I wanted to put in so much that I would become an enormous chapter and I don't want my chapters too big, cause then too many typos escape me. Additionally, I hope I can manage to update part (2) before I leave on holiday, where I'll not have a lot of internet within reach and as such probably can't update for some time, however I'm not sure I can make that happen. Still need to fix some stuff for my thesis as well. What it boils down to is that it is possible that the next update takes a while longer, so basically this is just a notifcation to keep people from giving up on this story because they think I abandoned it.  
**_

 _ **Kind Regards,**_

 _ **J. Caesar**_


	14. The Big Gala (2)

_**Hey fans** **!**_ ** _Sorry for the long time without updates, I was on holiday. I've occasionally written there too, including this large, second chapter about Big's Gala evening. Please enjoy._  
**

* * *

 **14\. The Big Gala (2) **

**==Judy==**

Inside the ballroom, many of the guests were already enjoying the festivities. Clusters of mammals had gathered at the standing tables, the tables themselves populated with some roses in a vase and the empty glasses of the bystanders. Butlers in old-fashioned suits walked around and distributed new drinks and snacks to those who were up for a second round. In the background, a music band played some gentle tunes, accompanying the soft voice of their serval singer. Although I could not understand the lyrics – they were in Italian – I could very well hear that she was not hitting any false notes. The fact that she sung in Big's native tongue had me wonder how many of the other guests were, like me myself, oblivious to the translation of the song. Nick snatched a toothpick with a slice of pineapple, stuck in in mouth and disposed of the pick on the very next table.

"Alright. Who are we gonna target first?" I asked passionately.

"Woah, woah. We're not gonna target anyone..."

I shot him a quizzical look as he dropped a pause prior to resuming his answer.

"... If you're intentionally aiming for one animal in particular, you'll end up with nothing. Getting info here requires delicacy and eavesdropping." He answered learnedly.

"Ah, your field of expertise."

"What can I say? I was born a subtle spirit."

"I meant the eavesdropping, but don't let our miscommunication get in the way of your modesty." I replied dryly.

He smirked.

"So. Which one do you want to get intel on first?"

Now he got me puzzled.

"I thought you said-"

"I did. But that doesn't mean we can't have preferences, can we?"

I glared at him.

"Sometimes you're a real pain Nick." I growled, scanning the crowd that occupied the ballroom.

"Oh good. For a moment I feared I was a pain all the time."

I sighed loudly. It sent another smirk over his muzzle, the one I found both attractive and irritating. He might have laid of the hustles, but he couldn't resist messing with my head. And after all this time working together I hadn't gotten used to it either.

"So, who's it gonna be?" He whispered when a couple passed us close by.

I tried to judge who of these animals would plan a full scale war against Mr Big. Truthfully, I had no idea where to begin. I didn't know any of these mammals. They all looked quite normal, stern, arrogant, jocular. There was no telling from the outside what lie underneath the surface. My eye fell on the back of a small, scraggy figure, dressed in pitch black with pinstripes. He had tried his best to comb his hair, in my view something he had failed to achieve. Nonetheless, his appearance had a familiar touch.

"Who's that guy? And why does it feel like I've seen him before."

"That is because you know his twin-brother."

"His brother?"

"Madam."

I got a fright as I suddenly stared into the two big, red eyes of the mammal in question. The dark brown nose, short muzzle and sly grin were indeed an exact copy.

"Weaselton." I let out.

"Ah, you have already heard of me and my work?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really." I burst his bubble, "I know your brother."

"Ah. Duke..." He spoke disappointed.

His voice was laced with a slight frustration too, betraying that apparently even Duke's family regarded him as a pain. Seeing his brother, who was much more polite, articulate and washed, I could understand that petty thief was not the job his parents had hoped for.

"That means my suspicions are right, you are Officer Hopps, correct?"

"Indeed I am."

"Alfred Weaselton. Renowned criminal lawyer, at your service. Apologies for tearing up your case last time."

"My case?"

"Oh yes. You arrested my brother for theft, remember? So unfortunate you failed to take the witness into account who saw your unbridled manner of arrest. Excessive police violence is a bad thing and your chief was very eager to release my brother to avoid any complaints from our side."

Interesting. I knew that Duke had gotten out of jail sooner than he should have, but I always figured Chief Bogo had just let him go because he thought arresting him for stolen onions had been ridiculous. Apparently he had, despite having scolded me for it, proceeded with the formal arrest of Alfred's brother. That was, until Alfred threw a spanner in the works.

"I see. Well, your brother is lucky to have you then."

"Quite so, Miss Hopps. Although he is not the first I've helped evade innocent incarceration. Many more have me to thank for their freedom. Even old Nick here has leaned on my services a time or two."

I looked up at my partner. He nodded with a smile to confirm this statement.

"Well. It had been a pleasure meeting you. I wish you both a nice evening." He concluded with an obeisance.

Once he was out of hearing distance, Nick leaned towards me and began narrating softly as I watched Alfred shake more paws.

"Alfred over there is from the same litter as Duke, only he inherited a pair of brains. He's a successful lawyer and rarely loses a case, mostly because there always seems to be evidence that has been overlooked by the police. Therefore, he is the first many ruffians call if they're in trouble. That included me not so long ago."

"What do you mean: 'always seems'? You think he plants it?"

"Hmm, maybe. It's just a little _too_ convenient sometimes. Anyway, his work gave him plenty of ties to the underworld. That's why he knows so many of the guests."

In my head, I made a few scribbles of his personality and relation to Mr Big. Luckily, Nick knew a lot about a lot of mammals. We repeated this course of action a few more times: we briefly spoke to someone and afterwards Nick gave me some background info on the animal in question. I regretted not having my notepad with me. There had been some major events prior to the day at which the attacks on Big commenced. Events that might be a lead to the culprit. After some time, we headed to the buffet where Nick poured me some punch and got himself another glass of wine. I mused over the information I had gathered thus far. So many suspects already. Hopefully I'd be able to recollect everything once I got home. I took a sip from my glass of punch and bit down on a cherry. It was a sweet titillation to my tongue.

"Sorry, can you hand me those peanuts please?"

A female elephant with peculiar markings all over her trunk beckoned me for a bowl of roasted peanuts. Her face struck me as familiar and by the time I handed her the snacks, I recollected wherefrom.

"Hey, you're Nanghi right?"

"Do we know each other?" She questioned.

"We do! We met at the Blue Spring Oasis!"

"Oh. You are in my class."

I raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm Officer Hopps. I visited you with my partner Nick during the Bellwether case. Don't you remember?"

Inside the ZPD, the case was known as the Nighthowler Case, however the media had reported it to the outside world as the Bellwether Case. I suppose it sounded more dramatic as it involved a well-known politician and thus made the papers sell better.

Nanghi eyed me curiously, then drew a pitiful conclusion.

"Not at all." She said, taking a trunk-full of peanuts from the bowl.

Almost instantly, another elephant I had come to know emerged to smack the nuts from her grasp, spilling them over the table and the floor. I had come to know this elephant as Ganesh, head of a group of mercenaries, and the major competitor to Vlad and his Nighthowlers. In contrast to Vlad accepting solely canines, Ganesh adopted all kinds of animals into his 'company'. This gave him far greater numbers which he could sell at low rates. This kept him from being out competed by Vlad, who's soldiers were better trained.

"Nanghi! You can't have those. Remember your peanut allergy!" He reprimanded her firmly.

He gave me a hasty apology and without bothering to clean up, he took her paw and guided her away. I looked at them stunned.

"How peculiar, an elephant with peanut allergy, wouldn't you agree?"

I turned around, identifying a Red Panda as the source of the words. He wore a wine-red shirt, topped with a radiant white suit and tie. The colour of his shirt was identical to the darker parts of his fur; his tail being one of these parts as it curled upwards behind him as he talked. What I thought to be whiskers were actually outgrowths of facial hair, braided into two pointy wisps to form a thin moustache. His English was impregnated with an oriental accent, most likely Chinese.

"Almost as rare as one with a memory like a sieve." I blurred out.

I slapped my paw in front of my mouth. Insulting others was not my preferred kind of humour. Nick had a bad influence on me! Luckily it brought nothing other than amusement to my interlocutor. He introduced himself as Yao Chang, proud resident of the rainforest district. He told me he had read about my work at the ZPD in the newspaper and asked me why I was now here. I explained to him that I had befriended Big by saving his daughter.

"Ah yes. Big holds his family in high regard, does he not? Good. Family is priceless." He nodded wisely.

My eyes wandered off to Nick, who stood a little further at the buffet table. He was speaking to a female leopard in an elegant black dress. I felt a slight sting of jealously in my chest. It wasn't fair though, it was the first time of the evening he had left my side; I shouldn't be sticky.

"Do you have a lot of family, Mr Chang?"

His smile mirrored upside down.

"Sadly not. I am an orphan you see."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." I said, regretting the topic.

"Don't be. My business is my home now and my employees are my family."

I opened my mouth, shutting it again without a sound. Nick told me asking anyone about their business was deemed inappropriate here. Instead, I decided to embark on an alternate route to find it out.

"You don't seem like a mob boss. What brings you to this evening?"

It was an honest question. In comparison to the others, Chang was alone, not very large and seemingly quite tender. He laughed.

"You are right, I'm not a mob boss. I own a few delivery services and since a while back, _Frost Transport_ included..."

I was familiar with that name. Frost Transport was the main supplier throughout Tundra Town and was famous for its reliable and timely deliveries. I had no idea, that its ownership had been transferred. Not that I knew who previously owned it.

"... Mr Big has always used its services and he figured this to be a decent opportunity to get acquainted."

Suddenly, a soft, yet sharp bell rang and all attention was directed towards our tiny host. He stood on a small desk near the music band. In between us and his plateau, a few polar bears had begun removing the standing tables. I wondered what was going on. I looked at the clock and noted it was ten to twelve. Would the gala be over so soon? The shrew held a small microphone, which he tapped twice to make sure it was on. Then he began preaching with his unique, somewhat raucous voice.

"My friends. Thank you all for attending my gala. It is good to see you in such numbers, else I would've been stuck with a lot of surplus food as I do not eat that much myself..."

Here and there, a laugh and a snigger arose from the crowd to Big's self-mockery.

"... down to business. For those of you that aren't familiar with my galas, it is tradition that I personally announce the beginning of the midnight dance. Each of you willing to participate in it may choose a partner and step forward onto the clearing my workers have prepared."

A dance for couples? I glanced at Nick. He stood a few mammals left of me, next to the leopard lady in the black dress. I guess this was a detail of the gala he had left out. With a heavy heart, I also concluded this to be the reason why he had suddenly turned to the feline beauty a few moments ago. Maybe it was for the best, all in all, I wasn't a very good dancer anyway. Unfortunately, this thought only made me feel more miserable. The fact that Nick preferred another to dandle with over me, strengthened my fear that my affection for him probably wasn't mutual. And that idea, left me shattered.

"Shouldn't you be choosing a partner, Miss Hopps?"

I was startled from my sad trance. Mr Chang, of whom I had lost sight when the crowd gathered to listen, reappeared as the guests split up to either make their way to the dancefloor, or to the sides to watch the spectacle from a distance.

"Nobody wants me, I'm afraid." I replied open-hearted.

It wasn't what I wanted to say, although it more or less slipped my tongue as I was still doleful about Nick ditching me. I quickly continued to avoid him asking about my self-pity.

"Do you dance, Mr Chang?"

"Oh no. I'm too old for that. Besides, you should find someone younger and prettier like yourself."

I smiled. Mr Chang was a nice man, and it wasn't until he pointed out that he was too old that I reckoned from some of his features that he likely exceeded my father in age. It was really hard to see.

"Miss Hopps!"

A shiver went down my spine by the sound of that voice. Great. Not only had Nick left me, that horrid rabbit also showed up.

"I see that you are once again shy of a partner?" Jake Hare posed, looking left and right to answer his own query.

"Indeed I am." I replied.

It was useless to deny the obvious.

"Then you are lucky I happen to have caught sight of that, for I too am in pursuit of a dance partner."

His perfidious manner of talking made my stomach restless. If my father were here, I'd be sure to point out Jake Hare as one of the jerk bunnies that I know.

"No thank you, I was just in a conversation with... huh?"

I tried to use Mr Chang as my escape, albeit he was no longer present. For someone who was 'too old' he sure was fast.

"You were saying?"

"I said, no thank you." I corrected myself.

"Come now, don't be rude..." he kept soliciting.

"Sorry, I'm not that much of a dancer." I replied irritated.

He frowned.

"Very well then."

Upon his departure, I let out a sigh. Better alone than with that snake. I sought a stool next to one of the empty tables and sat down. I looked my dress over and preened the soft silk again. All this money for nothing. I was such a dumb bunny.

"Carrots! There you are!"

I got a fright when Nick emerged in front of me.

"C'mon, it's almost time." He said, reaching for my hand.

"W-what?"

"The midnight dance. It's about to start."

"I-I thought you didn't want me."

"What? Why?"

Unintentionally, my gaze shifted to the Amur Leopard standing on the other side of the room. She was preoccupied with donning a pair of black, satin gloves. He followed my sight and smirked at me.

"What's this Carrots?" He asked amused, "Are you jealous of Marilyn?"

I was too annoyed by the name Marilyn to give him a witty reply. I just stared at him with my arms crossed before my chest.

"Why didn't you tell me about the dance part?"

"Because it was meant to be a surprise." He smiled.

"Yeah right."

He frowned.

"Oh, don't be so silly." He said earnestly, taking my hand. "Let's go."

"No!" I replied, tugging myself free, "Just go dance with Marilyn."

I realized that I sounded even more jealous now. I didn't care. He had ruined what was meant to be _our_ night. Me and him. Like Fru Fru had foreseen. Like I had foreseen. Like I had hoped…

"But I don't want to dance with Marilyn. I want to dance with you."

"Why?"

He placed his paw under my chin and made me look him straight in the eyes.

"Because _you_ are my partner. And not Marilyn. Or are you getting back on that now?"

At any other given point I might be hesitant to believe the things he told me. Not now. His emerald irises glistened to me with nothing except honesty and pride in what he stated. With a few words, he had toppled my emotions and I let him gently take my hand and escort me to the centre of the floor. We were just in time.

"Does everybody have a partner?" Big resounded.

"Yes!" He cried in unison with the others, waving my arm.

I know he only acted so foolish to amuse me. Still it worked. I punched him softly against the chest.

"That's the first time you seem proud to have me as you your partner." I quipped to him as he took my other hand and we adapted the starting pose.

He leaned forward and my ears perked up as he whispered something in my ear that made me quiver on my feet.

"It's also the first time that you look _so_ beautiful."

 **==Nick==**

The clock struck midnight. As the music began, so did the crowd, including Judy and me. I had no idea where I had found the courage to say what I had, yet the timing had been right and I was glad that I had. The possible consequences of my words for our partnership at the ZPD had seemed irrelevant. She was beautiful and she deserved to know that she was. As we began to sway on the rhythm of the music, Judy warned me that she wasn't a very good dancer. Taking heed to her comment, I took the initiative to lead. Without argue, she followed. It soon became clear that her self-doubt was unfounded. Every move she made was as dainty as a silver swan. Our ballet was nothing short of a well-rehearsed performance and we blended in so well, nobody noticed that single time Judy stepped on my tail. I wasn't even sure she did, but that didn't matter. At this moment, I cared for nothing except that pretty girl in my arms. Right now, she was my bunny and the rest of the world was allowed to think of that whatever they wished.

I had no idea how long we danced. Time was rendered inert. I was glad that I had taken the lessons Big had offered me a few years back. Back then, it had been _my_ first gala and he had urged me to beget the proper skills for his traditional midnight dance and the class he had put me in excelled at the style he played at his galas. Sadly, I had found no partner that night; I was still a fox after all. Strangely, I had continued to take lessons in dancing even afterwards. I had convinced Finnick it to be a useful tool for hustling, whilst in truth I had simply enjoyed it. Of course that had come to an abrupt stop once I had sold Big that rug and our friendship had splintered.

As the rhythm of the music lost in speed, the entire style changed. Knowing that this would happen, I effortlessly seeped into the required pattern. Judy seemed less capable in doing so, however at the slower pace it was easy to guide her. Moving to the music once again made me realize I had missed the thrill. Or was it just being with Judy that made this moment so exciting? I spun around her and she around me. Her dress created a lilac circle around us as we did. Her earrings scintillated in the low light. Or were it her eyes? I couldn't really tell. As I performed the move on experience-based instinct rather than actual memory, I bent forward and she bent back, my arms preventing her from falling. She followed my action without hesitation. She had completely confidence that I wouldn't let her hit the ground. And I wouldn't. She smiled to me brightly as we held on to this pose. She was so beautiful now. I had to try. I leaned forward, whilst holding her steadily and not breaking eye-contact. Hours passed, or were it just seconds? Every inch closer to her felt like another defiance of faith. Our muzzles were only a breath away. Her nose twitched. She didn't seem to fight me on what I was attempting. On the contrary. It was as if her eyes asked me to push on. Was the alcohol playing tricks on me? How was this really happening. I had dreamt of this moment, yet it had seemed so far away. Now, she was so close, it almost-

"What is the meaning of this?!"

My dream collapsed like a house of cards. The irritation spat at us was so out of the blue, I pulled Judy and myself back up in reply. I knew immediately I had lost my chance by doing this, although I managed to hide that disappointment as well as I covered up all my emotions.

"You told me you didn't like to dance!" Jake Hare shouted.

He was sure to swiftly position himself in between us, forcing us apart and shutting me out of the conversation.

"Well, apparently I do." Judy retorted irritated.

The scene drew the attention of the mammals around us. It even brought the music band to a halt.

"Then you should have danced with me!" He sparked, grasping her paw tightly.

"Hey…Ugh… Let go!" Judy started to cough.

The stress was causing her injured lungs to ache, that guy was assaulting her! And I was just standing here! It was well past time to step in. I placed my paw on his shoulder.

"Listen bud-"

Without warning, he whirled on his axis and hit me against my nose. I fell backwards on my butt on the marble floor. I rubbed my sore muzzle. The blow had been so unexpected that I needed a moment to fathom what had happened. In that brief lull, Judy took the opportunity to return Jake his gift. From what I could see, she landed her fist against his lower jaw with such force that he was thrown on his back. I got up and saw his eyes roll backwards into his head as he fainted. My god. Judy had done that? Being able to knock a guy out cold so swiftly and without thinking...

Laughter arose from the crowd that had formed around us. Jake wasn't the most loved animal at this party and seeing him get his butt kicked was a scene many could enjoy. Regrettably, Big was not one of those. Koslov's size forced a hole in the wall of muzzles around us as he stepped towards us. Simultaneously, we were surrounded by a few of his congeners. In his hand, he held a disappointed Mr Big.

"Sir, he... ugh... He is the one who began!" Judy defended.

He shook his head.

"My rules are clear. No fighting at the gala. Escort them to the exit."

Piqued at first that she was getting the blame for what Jake started, her tantrum soon snuffed out when the polar bears pushed us to the exit.

By the time we drove off of the premises, she still hadn't said a word. Her ears hung flat over the sides of her head, covering the elegant jewellery that she was wearing. She stared out of the side window with her arms crossed, occasionally letting out a cough. On her lap was a cute little purse, made of purple texture with silver trims. I halted the car in front of a red traffic light. I opened my mouth to say something, but she beat me to it.

"I can't believe Big threw us out!"

"Well, rules are rules. No fighting means no fighting."

"So? I should have just ignored the fact that he punched my partner?"

"I think he would have wanted you to let his men handle it."

"The hell with his men. That creep was harassing us."

I nodded and pushed the pedal with my foot when the light turned green, slowing accelerating to avoid too much strain on her chest with the seatbelt.

"Besides I didn't start it. He did."

I laughed.

"Yeah, but you sure did finish it."

I spotted a glimpse of a smile, one she forced back into a frown as she wanted to be mad. I gave her a gentle thud.

"Don't be mad, Carrots. We had a great time hadn't we?"

I leaned on the car door with my left elbow and acted cool-headed. Deep down however, I was infuriated. Jake had ruined what could have been a dreamy kiss with the rabbit I loved. Sure, he had paid for it dearly, and by he, I meant his jaw. Nonetheless, there would come a day that I would _personally_ let him pay the bill.

"We did, until that worm-"

"Uh!" I interrupted. "Did we have a good time or not?"

I reckoned I sounded like her father. Still, I didn't want Jake Hare to ruin the memory of this night any further than he already had.

"We did."

"There you go. That's all that matters."

"And we got some good suspects now too."

I nodded again.

"That was the prime reason for our visit right?" I lied.

My sole reason had been Judy and Judy alone. If I had to choose between the whole of Zootopia and her, my choice would always be the same.

"Yeah. I guess that's more important than some stupid gala."

Arriving at Judy's apartment building, all the lights were already out. I crossed the street, parked next to the sidewalk that led to the front door and turned off the buzzing engine.

"Pangolin Arms, here we are."

She unbuckled.

"Tomorrow at seven thirty again?"

"Meh, make it eight."

"Eight o'clock. Got it!"

"Thanks Nick. Tonight was fun!"

She stepped out, closed the door softly and made her way around my car. Despite her image fainting in the lamppost-lacking street, I followed her easily with my night vision. She fumbled in her purse to get her keys, when suddenly she stopped and her ears sprang upright. She placed her bag next to the door, turned around and toddled towards my car. I opened the window in advance, having it fully open when she reached me.

"Hey! Forgot someth...?"

As if the night hadn't had enough surprises yet, I was smothered by her lips as she pressed her muzzle against mine. My eyes fell shut as her kiss froze me up. When she pulled away I could hear her hop across the pavement. I opened them again when I heard the wooden door close behind her.

"Yeah..." I mumbled to myself, "tonight was fun."


	15. Results

**15\. Results**

 **==Judy==**

I stared at the ceiling above my bed. I hadn't slept long before I had woken up again and from there on, I hadn't been able to stop pondering about last night. I had actually done it. It was hard to imagine at first, yet I could remember very well that it had been very real. I had given in to the impulse of the moment, to a fantasy of mine that had somehow crawled to freedom. Although the sensation of kissing him had been my heart's desire, by now I wasn't sure whether it had been the best of choices. What if I had ripped up our partnership by doing this? After this, our relationship would never be the same again, no matter if he felt the same or not. Hopefully he did of course... what if he didn't? A part of me whispered that he hadn't pulled back. Another said that it went so fast, there hadn't really been time for him to do so. And, having ran inside like a scared bunny, I wasn't able to see his reaction. I remembered him leaning toward me during our dance too. It had seemed to me like he was going to kiss me. Had that truly been the case? Perhaps he had just been regaining his balance or been trying to whisper something. What if he only wanted to be friends. Then I had nonplussed him by throwing myself onto him. Would I have scared him off? Would he still show up today after what had happened?

All these questions roiled in my gut and kept me wide awake. When the clock beeped _5 am,_ I rose to my feet and looked out the window. It was quiet and dark outside. I opened the bottle of water that stood on my desk. I resumed staring as I sipped from it. Quite recently, I had hung a white board in my apartment, slightly to the dismay of my landlady. The front lights of a passing car, caused it to reflect brightly. It made me realize that now would be an ideal moment to start jotting down yesterday's details. I couldn't sleep anyway, I'd best do something useful.

I grabbed a marker and begun writing down a list of mammals whom I had met, their work and what traits I recollected about them. Fortunately, my memory supported me on this one. I could replay the entire gala in my head with ease, even the soft touch of Nick's lips. I shook my head and proceeded with my list. It soon became clear that my writing was too big to fit everything on it and thus I wiped away everything and started over.

After a while, I plumped down on my chair to judge my work as I drank some more water. Not the most orderly fashion - there were various arrows and even more small sized additions - however it was decent enough for me and that was what mattered. I clicked the cap on the marker and pressed it against my lower lip. When it came to estimating the likelihood of each of these animals, there were two features that were important: motive and means. There were several possible suspects who had both. I had written these on the left.

Vlad Lupinski, leader of the Night Howler wolves, had had a major quarry with Mr. Big last year when the latter had recruited his men to a shipment of rare art. The convoy had been attacked and one of the mercenaries was killed. This caused Vlad to demand a larger payment, one that Big refused as the firefight had led to irreparable to one of the art pieces and he had reasoned that mortal danger was the work Vlad and his men had signed up for. Means and motive were plentiful.

Another quarrel in recent history had been with the Beaumonts; a married couple that, according to Nick, ran large scale money laundering operations in The Meadowlands. At first I had been slightly surprised by who was who. Mr. Beaumont was a brawny Highland Bull named Harry, whereas Mrs. Beaumont was a tiny ferret, approximately my size, by the name of Hellen. Nick said it was evident that she had engaged in the marriage solely to get a share in Harry's business. Harry, on the other hand, was completely infatuated and was therefore not kind to those who spoke ill of his wife. Allegedly, one of these laundering operations had gone haywire and about half a million was lost, an investment made by Mr. Big. After exerting much pressure on their business, Big ultimately got most of his money returned to him and despite not knowing the details of the Beaumont finances, it must have gone into the books as a black day. And what was a better motive than money? Especially when it was that much.

After these extremes came the second group, written in the middle section of the white board: the candidates with weaker motives or lesser means. They were involved in minor incidents, like trespasses and small scale bullying; the kind of which I presumed to occur often among criminals. I had situated Ganesh in this list. His attitude towards Big had been quite hostile and he had disapproved of the latter choosing Vlad's services over his own.

The third group were those who were probably unwilling or incapable to organize multiple assaults on Mr. Big. The names of these animals were placed on the right. They included Mr. Chang and Koslov among others. Ridiculous as these names might seem, if I had learned anything from studying old cases at the academy, it was that everybody craved power. And as they both possessed the proper skills and reputation to take over, it was premature to exclude either from my research already.

The fourth and last category were those of which I wasn't sure. They hoovered on the bottom of the board. One of them was Alfred Weaselton. I had mused over possible reasons for him to overthrow Big's imperium. There wasn't really anything to gain for him. Top shelf would be revenge for Big almost icing his brother. But _almost_ was not fully. Besides, he didn't even seem to like Duke. On the other hand, if he was anything like his brother, he was spiteful enough to commit it. And considering his work as a lawyer, he might be able to call in enough favours to get what he wanted. Naturally, that did require willingness among his debtors to risk getting on Big's bad side.

 _*Thump*_

A noise on the other side of the wall startled me from my contemplation. Soon after I heard my neighbours arguing. The daily ritual had begun. It wouldn't be long before the rest of the building would wake up too. I grabbed a bottle of shampoo, a towel and some clothes and quickly headed towards the bathroom on the end of the hall. The services of the Pangolin arms were scruffy and since the hot water supply was far from infinite, you'd had to get up early if you didn't fancy a cold shower.

Afterwards, I ran into the old fawn that lived upstairs. She threatened to pay me a unfriendly visit if I had used up all the hot water. She said that every morning and I merely shrugged. Never had I seen her there, so either it were hollow promises or the hot water had never been out.

Back in my apartment, I hung my pair of pyjamas on the rack next to my gown. It was the closest thing I had to a closet. I had wrapped the dress back into its original plastic cover to repel dust and keep it from staining. I realized that, with the whiteboard, the coatrack, the desk and the bed, my room was nearly stuffed to brim. I should start considering another place if not for more space, then for a private bathroom.

I set my gaze on my scheme. It still had some filling in to do and whilst cracking my cranium, I resumed writing down names, jobs and personalities. Regrettably some things had already slipped from my memory.

 _*Knock, knock*_

That was odd. Who could that be? I glanced at my pedestal cupboard. Nick wasn't due for another hour and even then he usually waited outside. I guess the old lady must be living up to her promise after all, albeit I was surprised the water had ran out. I hadn't used that much. I hopped to the door and peeked through the spyglass.

A cold hand clasped my heart and I stumbled back. It _was_ Nick! What was he doing here so early and why was he here? He told me he'd be here at eight! Normally I'd be overjoyed to see him, yet after last night I had a hunch he might be here to talk about something else than the case. I leaned forward and tried to gauge from his attitude whether I was right. He spooked me a second time as he was looking straight at the spyglass from the other side.

"I can see you moving in there Carrots. Open up."

In my anxiety I bit my tongue and I swore under my breath. I took a fast look at myself in the mirror to make sure I was properly dressed. Not really, although there wasn't really any time to change. I licked my paw and preened a protruding pluck of fur with it. I took a deep breath and twisted the knob of the door.

"H-hey!" I tried to sound relaxed.

"Phew." He replied, "I was a little worried you were gonna let me stand here."

 **==Nick==**

Her apartment was every bit as snug as I remembered. The small bed, chair, desk, cloth rack. The whiteboard was new though. I vaguely recollected her mentioning having it installed for notes and reminders. The rim of the door missed it by an inch as I shut it behind me. The board was half the size of her room and the door would have jammed if it hadn't been so flat.

"Make yourself at home."

She sat down on her bed and I on the chair.

She sounded different. Not her usual ecstatic morning self. I spotted that the boards of her blue police shirt were curved in opposite directions. I had really barged in too early. I had promised to be here at eight and it was only ten minutes passed seven. I caught her staring at me expectantly as the silence prolonged. She must be wondering why I was here so early. Truthfully, I wasn't sure that telling her the true reason would be a tactical move. That I had been awake nearly all night, thinking about her. That in my few dormant hours, I had dreamt of our kiss. That I had decided to come over already just to see her a little sooner. Then again, after our kiss, it was maybe the right time to discuss these kinds of things. If only I could muster the valour to bring it up.

"Sorry I'm a little early. I was already awake." I commented vaguely, rubbing my neck.

"It's okay. I couldn't really sleep either."

Another quiet moment passed as we both let our eyes roll over the walls of her apartment. I wanted to speak, but I gulped instead as my throat was too dry to produce a single syllable.

"Look, about last night..." She began.

I felt the painful knot in my stomach worsen. Her tone was remorseful. As if she regretted it. As if it was a mistake. To my nuisance, her phone suddenly rang. She checked the screen, subsequently gesturing to me that she had to answer it. This left me with a great tension. She wanted to talk about it. Whenever that call ended, we were going to talk about it. Come on Nick, don't be a coward. She kissed you because she liked you back. My self-encouragement didn't work very well.

From the loud voices emitted by the phone, I derived that it were her parents. They were furious with her and I distanced myself to stay clear of the camera. My presence was the last thing they wanted.

"Why haven't you told us that you were involved in an explosion?! Why do we have to read in the newspaper that our daughter got blown up?" Her father blazed.

"Because I wasn't blown up dad!"

"Don't strike that tone at us, young lady!" Her mother scolded her.

As the family discussion raged on, I examined the scheme Judy had scribbled on her white board. She had efficiently listed names in what I believed was order of motive. Each name also had complementary info about job and character. I smiled as I recognized some of the details as provided by me myself. It was nice to see someone take in my words as a _reliable_ source of information for a change. In my opinion, all of these mammals deserved jail time; none were practising legitimate activities.

The scheme had a number of gaps too. I picked a marker from the ledge and filled in what I knew. I glanced at Judy. She was to occupied with her parents to see. With a grin on my face I added myself to the list, just below Koslov.

 _Nick Wilde (Fox)_

 _Funny, handsome, makes nice coffee, good with bunnies_

What would be a comical profession? I scratched my chin, my gaze shifting once again to my lagomorph partner. Ah yes, this should be entertaining.

 _Boyfriend_

A snigger escaped me. Then one of the names struck out to me as I was unfamiliar with it.

"And who might you be?" I muttered, reading the piece of info.

 _Yao Chang (Red Panda)_

 _Kind, chinese, elderly, orphan._

 _Purveyor, owner of Frost Transport_

 _Unacquainted to Mr. Big_

It was strange for me to find one I had never seen. Naturally, in saying that I knew _everybody_ I had exaggerated a little, but I was aware of the identities of more than the greater share of animals in Zootopia. Especially when it concerned the criminal department, I was well lectured on who was who.

"Yao Chang." I read aloud, as if to taste the name.

According to Judy, he was the owner of Frost Transport. I looked at her as if she would confirm it. She was still squabbling. Odd. I was pretty sure that Frost Transport was ran by a Moose, not a Red Panda. Also, what would someone from the rainforest be wanting with an arctic business? Overall, it was uncommon for animals in Zootopia to be adopting work outside their natural environment. This kind of behaviour was logical. A warmth and humidity loving panda wouldn't likely feel at home in a place like Tundra Town. It was possible, sure, however the fact that I did not know who this animal was made me wary. Additionally, if he owned an affiliation as large as Frost Transport, shouldn't I have heard his name somewhere? Yeah. I needed to dig into this guy's file at the office today.

With a smack, she tossed her phone on the desk, concluding the action with an enormous sigh. My gut tightened again. Never in my life had I been so nervous.

"Sorry about that."

"Nah, no worries, Carrots. Parents will be parents."

She smiled briefly.

"Yeah, I guess."

She tapped the floor with her feet in an incoherent rhythm. I shuffled mine a bit. Seconds passed. Nothing happened. One of us needed to break this silence.

"Do you-"

"I hope-"

We chuckled insecurely as we chose the exact same moment to start talking. I gestured her to speak first.

"Look, Nick. I hope that you don't think different about me now that we... well now that I... you know…" Her face flushed and she pinned her eyes to the parquet. "I just… I thought that we could…"

"Carrots, I…"

My throat sucked together because of its dryness, forcing me to gulp mid-sentence. She picked this up as hesitation from my side.

"If you don't …" she turned away from me to look out the window. "then that's fine."

"Carrots."

Her ears perked up and she faced me again. I could see the anxiety in her eyes. The same kind I had felt myself for so long.

"I… I'm not, I mean, I don't…"

I wanted to tell her that it didn't matter to me what she had done. That if had been up to me, I had done it myself a long time ago. That I had tried it myself at the gala. But when she gazed at me with those purple jewels of hers, I drowned in my own words. Sadly, this gave the wrong impression once again.

"I understand. It's okay. If you feel like you can no longer work with me then…" Her ears and and head drooped down, "then that's fine."

I heard her voice break. I stepped towards her. She sniffed as I lifted her up by the chin. The amethysts scintillated by her tears. I leaned forward and kissed her on the muzzle. It wasn't a dreamy one, like yesterday. It was simply, because I failed to bring my feelings to words through speech alone.

She glanced at me surprised.

"I'm your partner, Judy. Always have been. Always will be."

She beamed of happiness through her tears and the moment seeped into a firm hug. When her clock beeped seven thirty, I let her go.

"Okay…" I said, still a little nervous, "I'll leave you to get dressed 'n all."

She realized that she was indeed only wearing half her uniform and she quickly aligned the collars of her shirt.

"I'll be waiting in the car."

With the knob in my hand, I peeked back at her one last time. Our eyes met, yet no words were spoken. We both just smiled, and that was enough. She knew how I felt and I knew how she felt. Nothing further had to be said right now. And with that in mind, I closed the door and returned to my car.


	16. Back On The Job

_**Hey fans,**_

 _ **It's been a while since I updated. I've been pretty busy but as of** **yesterday I**_ ** _might be getting some time here and there. I hope you stuck around!_  
**

 ** _KR,_**

* * *

 **16\. Back On The Job**

 **==Judy==**

The trip to the ZPD was tense and quiet. Literally, not a single word was being said. Not even when an old lady decided to randomly cross the street, causing Nick to push the brake pedal through the floor of the car. As he scraped himself off the windshield, he gave me a look of concern. I gestured it was fine. It wasn't exactly true, but I was too nervous to be the first to speak up. And then our silent trip continued.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable as it gave me time to process the events. I was still overwhelmed from what happened in my apartment. It had been what I had dreamt of, no doubt. He had assured me we'd be partners forever. And yet, somehow a part of me didn't think it was enough proof. It was so easy to interpret the words differently. Perhaps he had only meant that no matter what I thought of him, we'd be able to work together or that even though we'd split up, we'd still be partners. Ridiculous ideas, I know, but I couldn't seem to shake them. I glanced at him. His emotions were always impossible to read. If only I could get him to put it to the exact words. To ease my subconscious doubts.

The precinct came into sight. If I didn't want anyone to intervene on such a private topic, there wasn't much time left to ask it.

"Hey-uhm… Nick."

"Hmm?" He responded, driving onto the parking lot.

"I-eh… I was thinking about what you said earlier."

"What I said?"

He carefully parked the car next in the line of three and switched the key to turn down the droning engine. Then he looked at me with his full attention. His gaze unnerved me a little. Despite I knew he answered my feelings of affection, I wondered if I'd ever be able to act normally in his presence.

"You said, we'd be partners forever, right?"

He nodded slowly, evidently gauging where I was heading.

"I was wondering what you mean by that…"

"I-errr… I don't think I understand."

For the first time in my history with him, I could read a certain discomfort in his eyes. I felt guilty for putting him in this position, just because of my own self-doubt. I knew what he had meant, it had been blindingly obvious. Then again, I would also love to hear him say it again.

"You see… I want to be sure that there would be no misunderstandings."

"Misunderstandings?" He replied evasively.

"What I mean is…" I took a deep breath, "Did you or did you not imply a partnership outside office hours."

God, that was the most horrible choice of words I had ever come up with. Way too formal and emotionless for a topic as tender as romance. He laughed and I did my best to avert the imminent reddening of my entire head long enough for him to answer me without making a comment about it.

"Yes, Carrots, I implied a private partnership."

I smiled widely and the tension made the blood rush to my ears, turning them red. I knew as I caught Nick looking at them.

"Just do me one favour, okay? Don't tell anyone about this."

"What? Why not?" I asked surprised.

"I'eh… I'm not sure it's appropriate on the work floor."

"Not appropriate? Nick, don't be ridiculous."

"Please, Judy. For a few weeks, that's all I ask."

"Okay. But I still think it's unnecessary."

He smiled gratefully. I had no clue why it troubled him so much, but I didn't want our first day as a couple to begin with a row. As we walked towards the entrance, I couldn't stop peeking at Nick. We were an actual couple, me and him! How amazing was that! Now I had to somehow act normal to keep my friends at the ZPD from finding it out. That was going to be a hard task. I wasn't as good in hiding this kind of stuff as Nick and after all this excitement, I didn't quite know how to pick up daily routine either.

 **==Nick==**

With a sigh, I set myself down into my chair. The quiet in the office today was remarkable, even for a Saturday. No background chitchat, no music, no whispering. Just the humming of my computer's ventilator and my neighbour ticking on his keyboard. I tried to recall who was sitting on the other side of the blurry, plastic fence that separated our desks. I couldn't. Frankly, I didn't really care much. There was work to be done.

"Alright, let's see what we got."

I logged in and opened the ZPD's mammal database. I planned to find out all there was about that mystery man on Judy's whiteboard: Yao Chang. I started typing his name when I heard a laugh. Judy's laugh. This made me curious, but I couldn't blandly rise to my feet to look. That would be too showy. Instead I faked getting up to grab something that was out of reach. My eyes scanned over the cubicles until they pinned down on Judy's ears. It was the only part of her that reached out above. Next to her I saw Clawhauser. He was really enjoying his conversation with her. Was the topic what I thought it was? I frowned ponderingly. Judy gave me her word. Damn it. I was so hoping she'd be able to keep quiet and now she was throwing it around like rice on a wedding.

The reason I had asked her to stay quiet, was that I didn't want people to think that I joined the police force, solely to hook up with her. Sure, I loved being her partner and I wasn't sure that I'd like this job as much if she wasn't around, although the actually reason I joined the force, is because Judy had shown me that I didn't have to lead a life of crime. That there had been a chance to break the stereotype that community had made me. This chance had become reality once she had vouched for me. The ZPD's best, and at the time most famous member, recruit had recommended my appointment at the precinct. How could they have said no?

I bit my lip. If they all heard how Judy and I had gotten into a relationship, one month after I had officially joined the police, it would corrupt the entire ideology behind my signing up.

I plumped down in my chair and tapped the desk annoyed. The indicator flashed on the search bar. What was I doing? Oh right, Yao Chang. I typed his name, pressed enter and after a few seconds, I got a hit. I opened the file and scoured the information for anything out of the ordinary. So far, everything that had been on Judy's list was in the file too. He was sixty-two years old, had grown up in an orphanage in a village called _Ton-Chin_ and was unmarried. He had quit school early and had started working for a delivery service. From there on, his career had gradually risen to the point where he was eventually the owner. Not long after, he had opened up a second service in Zootopia, and the route he had established between the two locations made him so rich, he had been able to buy various more services both in and out of Zootopia, including Frost Transport.

All in all, it sounded like a man with talent for business. But if he was so successful, why had I never heard of him before? All of this stuff sounded too good to be real. Or too ordinary. Or whatever. As a hustler, I had developed a sixth sense for detecting a fake story. There had to be something in his history that wouldn't add up.

And indeed, the more I dug into his background, the more evidence I found that my path ought to have crossed his sometimes. Unfortunately, it was a still circumstantial. There was always a small chance that I had merely missed him at every occasion. Maybe I was chasing ghosts here. Just when I decided to give up, I found an old newspaper article. It stated that Chang was one of the sponsors for the construction of the Junior Ranger's Club. I cracked my memory. If I recall correctly, there was a list of all the benefactors in the hallway of the club.

"Hey Nick!"

Judy's voice spooked me from my sleuthing trance. In a reflex, I minimized everything to attain the bare, normal ZPD desktop on my screen.

"H-hey! You startled me."

She giggled.

"I noticed. What were you doing?"

I looked from her, to the screen, and back to her.

"Nothing. What's up?"

"It's time for coffee, remember?"

I checked the clock. Ten past eleven. Whoa. I had been researching for two hours straight.

"Oh yea."

We were greeted at the coffee machine by McHorn, who complained about the coffee being weak and then ambled away.

"So what have you been up to?"

She raised onto her toes and whispered.

" _Thinking about you."_

I nearly swallowed my coffee the wrong way. She laughed when she saw my reaction.

"Just kidding. Relax Nick."

"Yea." I said, a little ashamed I had been unsettled so easily.

"I've been looking into Jake Hare. Sadly, there's not much we have on him. According to the records, he's been charged with arms trafficking three times, but never convicted. But… Guess who helped him out each time?"

"Alfred Weaselton."

She nodded.

"Exactly. But that's not the only thing I dug up. In one of the occasions, the person he allegedly delivered the weapons to, was Ganesh Smallear."

"Smallear?" I laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just never knew his last name." I thought of Ganesh with a grin. "Smallear."

She shook her head disturbed.

"Anyway. The delivery included machine pistols called Skorpions."

"And?"

"And one of the attacks on Big was a shop being perforated with Skorpions."

"You discovered all of this in two hours?"

She looked at me quizzically.

"Yea, why?"

Her efficiency was incredible.

"Nothing."

I rubbed my chin.

"So you think all of it is connected?"

"Maybe. Suppose we've been looking at this the wrong way. What if not one person is responsible, but multiple? Together they surely have more than enough resources to accomplish it all."

"Hmm."

It was a very interesting theory. And disturbing. If all these players were to coordinate their efforts to get rid of Mr Big, he must have done something terrible to get on the bad side of half of Zootopia's criminals. If so, he would never admit doing that. Not even to Judy.

We were interrupted by the precinct's intercom. It was an urgent message.

" _Attention all officers. We got a 10-65 at Lemming Brothers. Major backup requested. All standby units to the scene asap."_

I tried to remember what the code meant.

"Hey Carrots. What's a-"

"An armed robbery." She said alarmed. "We gotta go, Nick. We're on standby too!"

As I hurried myself to follow her to the locker room downstairs, I thought of asking about her injury and whether it was wise for her to go because of it. She had warned me not to remind her too much of it, yet she was my girlfriend now. That gave me the right to worry.

"Hey Carrots…"

"Before you ask: I'm fine." She replied, holstering her tranquilizer gun.

"Okay. I was just wondering." I replied, opening my locker.

It was going to be impossible to talk her out of it. Best follow her lead then and I retrieved my tranq-gun from my locker. Suddenly, she jumped onto my back and gave me a quick kiss on my cheek.

"Less thinking, more acting. Now hurry up, or I'm leaving without you."

 **==Judy==**

We followed the other three police vehicles to the Lemming Brothers' Bank with screaming sirens. It drew the eyes of all we passed and cars moved aside to grant us passage, as our convoy raced through the streets. Meanwhile, I stood on trial for my action in the locker room, which had been entirely harmless in my opinion.

"What are you worried about, there was nobody there." I replied agitated.

"Yea, but what if there had been."

At first, I thought it to be good fun to have to hide our relationship. I figured it would mean secret kisses, like the one in the locker room, but Nick was way a lot more serious about it than I thought. He acted seriously distressed at the idea that somebody would find out.

"I really don't understand why you're making such a big fuzz out of it." I complained.

"I'm not. I only ask for not everybody knowing it yet."

"Why not?!"

He frowned and focussed on the road.

"Nick. I hate it when we disagree on something this important… Please."

He sighed.

"Okay look. I… I don't want people to think, I joined the force just to date you."

"What?"

"You know. That I'm only doing this to be with you. That I don't take this job seriously."

"Why would anyone think that?"

"I don't care why! They will! And I don't want to be known as that guy who joined only to be with a girl."

So that was the reason. It was all about his image. All this time he had me believe that he couldn't care less about other mammals' opinions, yet this was proof of the absolute opposite. Clearly, a lot has changed in him since we first met. I rolled my eyes. Men and their bloody pride…

"Don't be silly Nick."

"I'm not being silly! Look, can we not do this now. I'm trying to drive." He snapped.

He scared me a little. Apparently it ran deeper than I thought. I decided to remain silent for the remainder of the road. I'd talk to him when he'd be less preoccupied.

"We're here." He said after a few minutes.

I glanced out the window and tried to take in as much details of the scene as my memory could save. A white van was parked on the sidewalk outside the bank; they had ran over a lamppost in order to park there. The rear doors were wide open, nobody was left inside the van and its engine was still rolling. The street's occupants had fortunately cleared out by themselves. When I saw bullet holes in the windows I understood why. My eyes drifted to the street sign: _Baobab Avenue._ I've read that name somewhere before.

Nick closed ranks at the back with the other three cars, together we all encircled the building. Each of us jumped out of their car and positioned themselves behind it for cover.

"Alright, who's got the megaphone?" McHorn called.

"No need for that!" Nick cried back. "Here they come!"

Indeed, the large mammal entrance was violently thrown open and five masked figures stormed outside. Immediately, the first two opened fire at us with machine guns, pinning us down. I felt my heartbeat pound in my eardrums. This was my first firefight and it already involved heavy weapons. I recognized the sound of the guns. AK47s. Their noise was very distinctive, and they were about as common as you could get in illegal arms.

I peeked underneath the car to see where the attackers were standing. They weren't aiming. They were laying down cover fire for their team to load the truck. I imagined the exact position they would be standing. One of the shooters was on our side near the back of the van, the other at the front. Only the former would be able to hit us, however he had the advantage as I had to get up and aim first. I would have one shot at taking him down, literally. That idea made the blood in my veins run even faster, although I remembered my training and believed it was going to help me achieve this. I pulled back the safety of my tranquilizer gun and took a deep breath. All those days at the firing range, I hoped they were going to pay off. Okay, on the count of three.

One…

Two…

…

Three!

I reared up from behind the car. More or less automated, I placed my arms on the hood, aimed for the trigger-happy villain and fired. It all unfolded in slow-motion. I saw the green plume of the dart fly towards my target with a rightward spin and at the same time, he took notion of my appearance and turned his gun barrel towards me. I heard Nick shout out my name as it happened and as I duck back behind the car, I already saw the black cylindrical end of death staring at me. I moved as fast as I could and heard the whizzing sound of bullets overhead not a moment too late. I made myself so small, I almost kissed the asphalt when I reached it. Never before had I been this scared. In the raging chaos, I heard faint shards of Nick's voice, but I couldn't hear what he said. The noise of the shells hitting the metal hood was so loud, I was hardly able to think.

Then, after three excruciatingly long seconds, the barrage of gunfire ceased and I heard the clattering noise of the AK hitting the ground, followed by his unconscious owner.


	17. A Bad Move

**17\. A Bad Move**

 **==Judy==**

"Judy, are you alright?!" Nick called out.

I stopped squeezing my eyelids, removed my hands from my ears and peeked underneath the car to the van. The wolf, at least that's what I figured it to be, had collapsed onto the ground with the AK47 next to him. The green plume of the tranquilizer dart in his neck contrasted against his dark clothing. Seconds later, the shells bouncing on the hood resumed as the partners of my victim began to unload their pistols at me. I saw that one of them plucked the projectile from the motionless body, cursed and threw it aside. Suddenly I felt a firm grip on my shoulder. It scared me so much that I cried out. It was Nick. I had completely forgotten to answer him. The anxiety in his eyes was readable.

"Are you hit?!" He asked panicked.

I shook my head.

"Oh thank god."

"Haul that idiot in the car and let's go!" someone shouted.

I reared up to try and get another shot off, but quickly duck back down as the mammal that had spoken was waiting for me to unload his pistol. I checked if any of the others were able to get a clear line of fire. Behind the third and nearest car, Higgins was talking through his radio, whilst McHorn firmly clasped his own arm. It looked like he had taken a hit, that was bad. The officers from the other two cars were pinned down under the AK47 of the second gunman. I realized he was quite hairy.

My ears twitched as I heard someone pick up the gun of the fallen guy. I seized my chance to take a shot at him, barely missing as he dashed into the truck and closed the doors behind him. Immediately, the tires began to screech as the driver floored it. He passed by the second gunman, who agilely swung himself into the passenger's seat as the door was opened for him.

Unwittingly I grasped Nick's shirt with my left hand as I saw the van ram into the two police cars opposite us, bashing them aside, even toppling one of them. Shattered glass rained down on the street as the rear windows failed to endure the force of the impact. Fangmeyer and Grizzoli only just managed to escape from getting crushed under their vehicle. I was unable to see whether Wolford and Snarlov, the occupants of the first car in the row, had been equally lucky, yet the lack of agonizing screams gave me the hope that they had. I released Nick and apologized, but he already rushed over to McHorn. I followed closely.

"Oh my god, you're hit!" Nick confirmed my worries.

"You think?!" The rhino replied cynically.

"Ambulance is underway!" Higgins said, putting away the radio.

He pulled the car's first aid kit from underneath one of the seats and retrieved a bandage, which he started to wrap around the bleeding hole in McHorn's arm.

"What are you waiting for?" McHorn shouted at us. "GO AFTER THEM."

"Yes. Of course." I answered dazed.

I was so shocked by seeing one of my colleagues being shot that I totally forgot about it. Higgins would take care of him, we had to give chase before they got away. As we stepped into the car, Wolford and Snarlov had already taken off. Nick put the pedal to the metal and I reactivated our siren. Fortunately, they weren't that far ahead of us yet. At the far end of the street, I could see the flashing lights of the other police vehicle, headed onto the highway. We were able to slowly closed the distance, as a path was already cleared for us. When we were no more than eighty feet behind them, I took notion of the tremendous beating of the rear end of Snarlov's car, as well as the absence of the bumper. It must have come off at some point after the crash. Gauging the severe damage, I was more than glad my colleagues had gotten out of the way.

I radioed Wolford that we had caught up with them and we planned a manoeuvre to bring the criminals to a halt. They would catch up and get in front of the van, whilst we would push them to the left side of the road. Snarlov accelerated to pass then by, when something happened none of us had foreseen. One of the backdoors of the van opened. The hairy gunman balanced on the edge of the bumper, securing himself on the inside with one hand, whilst holding an AK in the other. With a rattling noise, the hood of Snarlov's car was turned into a Swiss cheese. They tried to get in front of the van, however it was too late. One of the left front tire was punctured and blew up with a loud bang.

"Oh god. Hang on!"

As the drag of the flat tire swallowed up their velocity, Nick was forced to make a serpentine movement to avoid running into them. That left just us following the van.

"You good?" Nick glanced at me.

"I'm okay. Just pay attention to the road."

"What do we do now?" He asked, this time without breaking eye contact with the taunting wolf hanging outside the van.

"We chase them."

"Oh good. I thought you wanted to turn back." He remarked.

I wasn't in the mood for a discussion, yet I wasn't able to provide him with a better answer than the one I had given. My mind raced over possibilities to stop the white van. If we got closer, we'd get shot like Snarlov and Wolford had been, but coming up from behind was the only option as shortcuts weren't exactly plentiful at a highway. All we could do, was keep up the pursuit.

This wasn't easy. Having disposed of the other car, the hairy thug continued to discharge his AK at us instead. This forced us to keep distance, as well as to stay right behind them. If we didn't, we'd risk exposing our tires. I feared however that getting taken out wasn a matter of _when_ rather than _if,_ considering their meandering driving style.

Unexpectedly, the gunner ceased fire and returned inside. Before either of us could wonder why, the van made a sharp turn and got onto the highway exit, a move impeded to us by the traffic on the right. Luckily, Nick showed himself to be very gifted at driving. He accelerated, slammed the brake and made use of the drag to copy their manoeuvre. As we drove down the sloping road, I wanted to compliment Nick on his responsiveness; a sentence I never got to finish. The reason behind the sudden exit of the van, was to get us in a narrow spot. Once Nick hit the brake pedal to avoid what was coming, it was already too late.

As we ran over the spike strip that was left for us, he lost control of the car and we started spinning. The metal wheels scraped the asphalt like a howling banshee and sparks shot over the sides of the car. We held ourselves in position as best we could, but both of us were delivered to the mercy of the vehicle's random movements, on its bouncing path along the concrete sides. The sound of the metal suffering from the impacts, reminded me of the car bomb. I had heard this kind of noise there too and like there, it made me shiver with fear. I sought Nick's paw, yet before I found it, another bump made me grasp the dashboard again. When I thought we were going to get flung out of the our seats, the airbags blew. My body was pressed in the puffy balloons and my sight was white entirely. A split-second later, we were motionless at the bottom of the sloping road. The white van had disappeared, being followed only by a well-aimed curse of my partner.

 **==Nick==**

"McHorn's gonna be fine. The bullet missed all vital parts in his arm." Judy said, tucking away her phone.

"That's good to hear."

We were in the locker room, where she had just stashed her stuff. I sat on the metal bench and tended to a big bruise on my lower left arm. The dim, yellow light made the extravasation look an odd kind of greenish. I pressed the icepack against the swelling. It stung harshly. Surprisingly, it was the only real injury I had sustained during the crash. Judy even said she had none at all. Fortunately for me, she already had a doctor's appointment this evening. He'd be able to tell me whether that was indeed true. She always undervalued her own pains over those of others.

"I've been thinking. Maybe you're right."

"About what?"

"The tactics of the robbers today. The masks, the timing, the spike strip. It was all planned out professionally."

"Yea, it seemed that way."

"And all the suspects were the same size."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I don't see where you're going with this."

"If I had to make a guess, I'd say this has Vlad Lupinski written all over it."

"Well, hopefully we don't have to make a guess."

She kneeled down and moved my hand with the ice pack aside. She drew a concerned look. She measured the swelling with her finger. I gritted my teeth, not wanting to let her know how much it hurt. Her tender care was one of her most loveable features. Eventually she kissed her hand and tapped it on the bruise. She winked.

"There, that's should do it. If you need me, I'll be upstairs tracking the licence plate of the white van."

I smiled and pressed the icepack against my arm again. I followed her with my eyes as she hopped off. After a moment of realization, I looked around frightened. There was nobody around to have seen us. I sighed. Maybe hiding all this was too much fuzz.

I rose to my feet and put my things in my locker. On my upstairs, Clawhauser called me over in the central hall. I had seen that donut crumbs covered grin before. After he had seen Judy hug me in the parking lot. Having him draw it again, could not be a good thing.

"Psssh, Nick!"

Reluctantly I went over. The icepack was still in my hand. Good. If he would say something wrong, I'd shove it in his face.

"What is it, Ben."

I always used his first name, although I didn't exactly know why. Nobody else did that.

"Did you know Judy attended a gala?"

How did that cockroach know about… Judy. Their conversation this morning. The laughing. Damn, she had promised me not to say anything. And of all animals at ZPD, she picked this guy to tell it too first. I had to keep calm. I mustn't let him get to me.

"Really?"

"Oh don't play dumb. You knew that already didn't you?"

See, he knew that we went together.

"Where are you going with this?"

"I bet she looked great in that dress."

"I didn't know you were into dresses, Ben. But then again, a man's pastimes should be his own business, right?"

He looked at me confused for a few seconds, then it hit him.

"What, no. I'm not-"

I smirked. I had him.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, my friend, I know plenty of animals with strange habits."

"Hang on!" Clawhauser frowned.

"Nick, there you are!"

Judy had called from the third floor. She jumped down the stairs, 3 treads at a time. In her hand was a case file and she waved it to me like it was a flag.

"It appears you were right, Nick. The van was originally reported stolen, but the owner's CCTV showed a group of four mammals that stole it. One of them wore the emblem of Vlad's Nighthowlers."

She looked at me and Clawhauser quizzically.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Maybe."

Judy's expression remained without understanding.

"What do you mean, maybe."

"Well, for some reason, Big Ben here knows things he shouldn't. And I think it has to do with your conversation this morning."

She shifted her clueless gaze to the cat behind the reception desk. He shrugged.

"I only told him about your gala."

"Yea right. That's all you said." I replied sarcastically.

In my head, I replayed our conversation. I felt a painful uncertainty when I reckoned it was indeed all he had said. The nasty feeling crept up on me that, in my fear of our relationship getting out, I had been hearing things there weren't.

"I don't see how this has to do with me?" Judy asked.

The stone in my stomach became heavier. I had made a terrible misjudgement here. Judy probably hadn't said a thing.

"I think he means our talk about you encountering my mom when buying a dress." Clawhauser explained.

"You met his mom?" I let out stupefied.

"Yea, when Fru Fru and I left the mall after buying the gala dress." She furrowed her brows. "Wait a second. So that's why you were so snappy in the car today. It had nothing to do with that you were driving. You think I told him!"

"I-I just… I thought you told him about our night. I-I'm sorry…" I stammered.

I had accused her unfoundedly. Basically, I told her that she had damaged my trust in her, while in fact, it was the other way around. I should've asked her instead of blindly doubting her word. Suddenly I felt very dizzy. I was such a jerk.

"How dare you, Nick! I had given you my word. How can you think I would intentionally break my promise to you?"

"Carrots, I-"

"Don't you Carrots me, Nick Wilde! I can't believe you question my sincerity about something this important. On our very first day no less!"

She smacked the dossier angrily on Clawhauser's desk, scaring him upright from his forward leaning position.

"And don't even bother showing up for my doctor's appointment! I'll find someone else to go with!"

"Judy, please."

She no longer listened and stomped out through the main door. The entire entrance hall was staring down at me. I felt cold, but not because of all the eyes that drilled in me. It was the chill gust of guilt that wrapped itself around me. How could I have doubted her so easily. It wasn't until she was outside that Clawhauser dared to speak up again.

"So you _were_ her date on the gala!" He smiled amused. "Does that mean you guys are an item now?"

"I'm afraid I'm equally unsure about that as you right now."


	18. Dazed

_**Hey guys, thanks for your comments. Glad to see you're still having a good time.  
**_

* * *

 **18\. Dazed**

 **==Judy==**

Fru Fru had said to be happy to receive me when I had rung her up from my car. Without even stopping at home, I had gone over to the villa. Upon my arrival, the doorman had already opened up the garage. Even though I knew the way by now, I was still being escorted upstairs to Fru Fru's guest chamber. She was awaiting me in a comfy chair near a hearth. For a moment it gave me the faint hope that it wouldn't be so cold this time. Sadly, I found it to be an artificial one. Instead I crossed my legs to keep my feet a little warmer underneath me.

It wasn't long before Mike, Fru Fru's personal bodyguard and therefore sort of a second Koslov, arrived to ask for our demands. I asked for carrot tea, Fru Fru took nothing. When he turned around, she waited for him to leave the room and then turned to me.

"So… Tell me, what is the problem."

"Problem?"

She gave me a stern look.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Really? Then why did you came over so fast?"

"I-errr… I thought it would be nice to see you?" I replied with a wry smile.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, honey. It's written all over you. As much as I'd like to believe what you just said, your entire face spells out: I got troubles."

Once again someone pointed out how bad I was at disguising my feelings. I had come here in the hope to forget the matter, although I did also feel a bit of relief when she brought it up. With played reluctance, I told her about the argument Nick and I had. About how he wanted to keep our relationship hidden from everyone, to avoid them thinking he joined the force for me alone and how he had questioned my promise to help him keep it a secret. Despite Fru Fru waiting for me to finish my monologue, I noted that she was wagging in her chair from a certain point. Now she leaned forward.

"That's nice and all, but rewind a little. Did you say that you guys are _dating_ now?!"

I couldn't keep away my smile.

"Yea, we are."

"Really? Oh Judyyyyyy! I'm so happy for you!" She yelled in excitement.

"Yea. Well, I'm not sure that I am."

She snapped from her psyched state.

"What do you mean?"

"Well. If he doubts me so quickly already, how can I be sure that he won't do so in the future?"

She snorted disapprovingly and shook her head. I looked at her with a titled head, waiting for her to finish examining her nails and to elaborate on her response.

"Don't be silly, hon. You don't break off a relationship on the first for something like that." She replied laconically.

I perked my brows confused.

"What do you mean, 'something like that'?"

She reclined in her chair.

"Men are and always will be very serious about their pride. It's all about masculinity…"

Mike came back inside with my cup of tea. I thanked him. He responded with a light bow and left the room again. To my satisfaction, Fru Fru was discrete and made sure Mike wasn't able to take notion of our topic. Not that I believed for a moment he would be a tattle-tale, yet it was nice that she considered the delicacy of the matter. Like any real friend did.

"As I was saying." She continued. "The word machismo exists for a reason, honey. Dignity is an important trademark for men and other men will always attempt to discredit others in order to make themselves appear more virile. And pride is like a synonym for manliness. So what Nick says, is probably true."

"I thought that maybe he was ashamed of our relationship." I thought out loud.

"Not likely. If he would've been ashamed of you, would he have become your partner?"

"I guess not…"

"Trust me, hon. If the other guys can use your relationship to make Nick look foolish, they always will. That's just what men do. And Nick is lectured enough, to know that too."

I processed the information she had provided me, whilst blowing at my tea to cool it off a bit. It explained all the pretend-insults my male co-workers flung at each other during coffee breaks. Even the chief pretending not to care about new recruits. After all, the men that sympathized with the rookies, were called soft by the others. It all added up.

"How did you become such an expert at this?" I asked, taking a sip from my drink.

She laughed.

"Look around, Judy. I live in a house full of men. If I hadn't learnt their ways by now, I'd be either blind, or a man myself."

I joined in with her laughter.

"So. On to more important things. How did he ask you?"

"Oh, I don't remember exactly."

I smile shyly. Truthfully, I remembered his words precisely.

"Judy, what did I say about you lying to me?"

We both sniggered.

"Alright, alright. It wasn't how I had imagined it to be, yet it was still perfect."

Fru Fru leaned forward, placing her elbows on her the arms of the chair; her head in the palms of her hands.

"I think it started at the gala, but I only dared to ask him this morning. First I thought he didn't want to, that he only wanted to be friends. But then…" I closed my eyes to relive the moment. "… then all of a sudden, he lifted my chin and he kissed me."

"Aw, really?" She uttered dreamily.

I nodded frantically, much to the bliss of my friend.

"Yes he did. And then he said: _I'm your partner, Judy. Always have been. Always will be_."

"Awww, that's so romantic!"

"Yes, it was." I radiated.

"If only my Edgar would've been so good with words." She complained.

I realized that all my anger towards Nick's doubt had subsided. I knew I had done the right thing in coming here. After all, Fru Fru was the only real female friend I had besides some of my colleagues. And who better to discuss girl stuff with, than another girl? Our conversation had become so much fun, that I completely forgot about the time. Eventually, we were interrupted by an alarm from my phone. I pulled it from my duty belt and lighted the screen. _Doctor's appointment._ Oh right, I had to be at the hospital in half an hour.

"Sorry Fru Fru, I totally forgot about that."

"That's okay. It's actually quite funny, cause I need to be there tonight as well. "

She explained that it was time for the weekly check-up on her pregnancy.

"Maybe if we go together. Then afterwards, we can dine together again?"

"That's becoming a bit of a habit, lately. Sure your father doesn't mind?"

She made a dismissive gesture.

"Just because I'm in a house full of men, doesn't mean I don't have 'm all under my thumb."

After some more chatter, Mike notified us that he had driven the limousine in front of the house. I helped Fru Fru down the stairs and joined her in the back of the car. It gave me a déjà vu, recollecting the torn interior during my search for Emmitt Otterton. I wondered if that memory would ever fade. I praised the knowledge that the trip would be a mere fifteen minutes, the seats were cold as ice. Something nobody else seemed to be bothered by.

Mike glanced at us through the mirror, closed the hatch to keep our matters private and then drove off the premises.

"So, how is your injury now by the way?"

I rubbed my chest.

"Still a little sore, but I don't have much trouble breathing anymore."

She nodded.

"Sounds like improvement."

"How about you and the baby?"

She shrugged.

"Not a lot of change actually. Of course, carrying her around becomes more problematic every day. She never seems to skip a day when a comes to growing, you know?"

A brief moment of realization dawned on me by seeing her so happy. Nick and I would never have kids of our own, that was certain. The strange thing about this moment was, that it didn't seem to bother me. I had never really thought of myself as a mother anyway and if I could spend my life with Nick, I wouldn't need kids. I'd already have all the love I needed. That reminded me, I had been quite harsh on him when I left the precinct. I owe him a little text, to set things right.

I slipped the phone from the duty belt into my hand. I swiped through my contact list until I came across Nick's number.

"Texting him?" Fru Fru asked when he saw me typing.

"Yea. Maybe I've overreacted a bit today. I'm just a little new to this whole relationship thing and given what you said earlier, I might have taken it a bit too personal. Hopefully I didn't scare him off."

"Don't worry, hon. I'm sure he's dying for a text from you right now."

I pictured Nick anxiously lying on the couch with the phone in his hand, checking it every two seconds. I chuckled and resumed my typing.

 _Hey Nick. Just wanted to say that I-_

 _*Sccccraaaack*_

Out of the blue, the car received a mind-dazzling, heavy blow. The windows got smashed and I felt myself getting pressed into the seatbelt so hard, my ribs hurt. The mugs and decorations from the limo's cupboard flew by me as the car was sent into a sideway turning. Fru Fru screamed and I heard Mike's distant cursing through the polyester board that separated us from him. In the chaos, I lost the grip on my phone. I seized the straining leather belt that agonized my chest and tried to relieve the pressure. It was in vain. The full frontward speed of whatever had hit us, combined with our own velocity, had us trapped into a rotary movement that sucked me towards the middle of the car. With the seatbelt being the only thing that kept me from going there, I was fending off the entirety of that force, thus it was no surprise I failed to do so.

I groaned as the spinning made me nauseous. Just as I thought I was going to throw up, we came to an abrupt halt against what I suspected to be a tree. The images that my eyes sent to my brain were twisted and shaky. This was the second time today I was in a car accident. When did I become such a non-starter? I looked over at Fru Fru. She hung forward against her seat belt. She didn't reply to me, though I heard her breathe. I assumed she was unconscious. From the front, I heard another curse.

"Mike?"

I got a muffled reply.

" _Don't worry ladies. I'll come to get you out."_

I heard him open his door and slowly get up from his seat. Good, meanwhile I should locate my cell phone to call an ambulance. I sincerely hoped Fru Fru's and her baby were okay. Where was that thing?

Suddenly, Mike's gruff voice alarmed me.

" _Hey. Who are you?"_

Two sharp, squeaky thuds followed and a heavy thwack against the car door had my stomach cramp up completely. Those were silenced gunshots. They had shot Mike! Oh my god. This wasn't good. I checked my belt and concluded that I had left my tranquilizer gun in my locker at the precinct. All I had was a Taser. It was something. I unbuckled myself and fell on hands and knees.. I _had_ to find that phone. Now!

I startled by the slit to the driver seat being opened and clutched both hands around the electric weapon, waiting nervously for whatever would come through. Then, a smoking can was tossed inside, and the slit was closed and locked. The white cloud quickly filled the cabin with a hissing sound. It was halothane gas to knock us out. Whoever assaulted us, at least didn't seem to want us dead.

"Come on. Where is that thing?" I yammered, scouring under the seats.

I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass, but I had no time to give it attention. I was becoming drowsy and my vision started to blur. I shook my head. It was my only shot. Get the phone and call for help. Finally I locked onto it. From what I could read, my message was still there. I reached for it slower than I wanted.

"I have to call him. I have to…"

Talking to myself didn't keep me awake. The room spun around me and the Taser slipped from my hand. I stared muzzily at how it tumbled onto the soft floor mat of the limo. And after a second or two, I rather heard than felt that my body followed its example. I heard the door open and indistinct voices filled the room. I couldn't see anymore. I couldn't hear anymore. I passed out.


	19. Bringer Of Bad News

_**Hey all. It took me a while, but here is another chapter.  
**_

* * *

 **19\. Bringer Of Bad News**

 **==Nick==**

 _*Rrrrrring*_

I was startled from my sleep by the ringing of my cell phone. The sudden disruption of the silent room almost had me tumble from the couch I had been dozing on. Confused, I searched for the clock on the wall: _half past seven_. I vaguely recalled having lain down immediately after coming home. A dreaded headache had pained me, which had originated from all my pondering about the argument between Judy and me. That, together with the gnawing guilt of hurting the animal I held most dear, had left me dead tired. I rubbed my forehead just above my eyes. The sockets ached perhaps even more than before my nap.

 _*Rrrrrring*_

Again my phone rang.

It was the most basic of phone jingles, picked by me during the times that I still hustled. I had chosen it to avoid offending anyone around me whenever I was undercover for another scheme. It might sound insignificant, although it could be an unforeseen mood-changer. Imagine pushing someone in the direction you want, then your ringtone happens to be a song he or she dislikes and the conversation turns cold as a result. It might never have happened, but I'd like to think that was because I had this dull tone instead of-

 _*Rrrrrring*_

"Alright, alright." I uttered agitated.

I noticed the phone was not in my pocket.

 _*Rrrrrring*_

"Damn it. Where is that thing."

I found it on the floor under the table. I swiped free the phone's lock and looked at the caller. I didn't recognize the numbers, yet it wasn't shielded.

"Yes? … Nick Wilde here." I added almost forgetting to give my identity.

" _Mister Wilde, this is doctor Howard."_

"Howard…?" I closed my eyes and massaged my forehead again, trying to recollect the face behind the name.

" _Yes, I'm calling you about Miss Hopps' appointment today?"_

"Oh yes. Of course. You're Judy's doctor. Right. Sorry, it took me so long to remember."

" _That's quite alright, we've only met briefly. I meant to call you earlier, but I had other patients to attend."_

"I understand. So how is she? Better than last time I hope?"

" _Well it is about the appointment, rather than Miss Hopps herself, that I am calling."_

I opened my eyes.

"What does that mean?"

" _Blandly spoken, she didn't show up."_

"Didn't show up?"

" _No. My assistant has called her twice, apparently she didn't answer."_

"That doesn't sound like her at all. Punctuality is a second nature of her."

" _If you say so. Well if you manage to get a hold of her, tell her to contact my assistant for another appointment. And press her to remember it the next time!"_

Judy forgetting her doctor's appointment? That was improbable. Besides, she had vividly reminded me that I was not welcome at said appointment in the precinct's reception hall this afternoon. How could she have forgotten it?

" _Mister Wilde?"_

"Oh, yes. Yes I will. Thank you."

" _Then I bid you a goodnight."_

"Yes, goodnight to you too."

Absent-minded I watched the display darken a few seconds after the call ended. Had something bad happened to her? Had she fainted and was she laying somewhere unconsciously? No. No, there had to be a reasonable explanation for this. I touched the screen to brighten it up again and picked Judy's number from my history. As it rang, I paced up and down the room. It was probably nothing, yet the longer my calling was unanswered, the more I began to doubt that statement.

"Come on, Carrots. Pick up."

I couldn't wrap my mind around Judy losing track of her agenda. She had never ever filed a single report later than was demanded, nor had she ever been late for any appointment. Something was off, and the fact that she didn't answer her phone strengthened that feeling.

I resettled myself on the bench and went through my list of contacts. Remarkably, the headache had vanished entirely. A fortunate eventuality since I had some thinking ahead of me. Who would be the friend that she had gone to? Clawhauser? No, then she would've said so in the hallway. Probably Fru Fru then. Those two were like bread and butter ever since they went shopping together.

I scrolled down my contact list to Koslov's personal number. I slight fear crept up on me. What if Judy wasn't there and I had interrupted something important? I cast the thought away. Judy was more important and the ominous feeling was driving me to look into her absence further. As the phone rang, I realized that Judy for as yet didn't have many friends here in Zootopia. Of course, almost everybody knew her from the papers. And she was a likeable person, so everyone she met was nice to her. But really good friends were scarce. Recollecting my own list of best friends, the corners of my mouth ascended. In that respect, we were a perfect match.

It wasn't long until the polar bear's surly reply rumbled over the line. When I asked for his boss, I somehow expected him to hang up. He didn't. And after a brief interval, the deep voice of Mr Big answered me.

" _This better be important Nicky."_

There it was. That unnerving calm that haunted me still. Even after all the peaceful meetings that had proven his forgiveness over my fraudulent act, I never ceased being terrified of one-on-one conversations with him.

"Yes, sir. I-err…" I mustered my courage. "I-I am urgently looking for Judy. She doesn't happen to be at your villa?"

"Yes, I believe she is. A moment."

A load fell off my shoulders. See. There was nothing to worry about. Her iCarrot was probably on silence and with Fru Fru she had simply lost track of time. I was such a doomsayer sometimes. However every minute it took for Big to return supported the recurrence of the sinister sensation in my chest. What took so long? His villa might be large, it wouldn't take this long to get to the other end, would it?

" _Okay."_ Big replied to someone.

My heart, just like the rest of me, stopped to await what he was going to say.

" _I'm sorry Nicky, you just missed her. She and my daughter left together."_

"What?" I replied, full of concern again. "When?"

" _About an hour ago."_

"Where?" I realized I almost yelled at him, but my decency had lost its priority.

" _The hospital. Why? What's with all these questions?"_

"Are you sure?"

" _You're acting crazy, Nicky. What's the problem?"_

"I gotta go."

I hung up, called Judy again and resumed my pacing. They had left for the hospital. This is evidence that she didn't forget; she never arrived! Oh God. Where is she? With every beep of the outgoing call, the question echoed louder and louder in my head.

I almost ran to the kitchen, snatched my car keys from their hook and headed for the door. With the knob in my hand, I realized it was already getting dark and in addition my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten yet. I ignored both. With Judy's well-being at stake, all else was obsolete. I pulled on the new navy-blue jacket Judy had chosen for me at the mall and left for the parking lot. I was on my way to the hospital a few minutes later.

From there on, I programmed my navigation to take the shortest possible route to Big's mansion. It led through multiple unmonitored areas of Zootopia. If something had happened to her, it must've been there. In complete silence, I drove the designated route ten miles an hour slower than I was allowed, taking in every detail, every clue that might give me insight on where the limo of Fru Fru and Judy might have gone. It led to some irritated overtaking manoeuvres by the other road users. One passed me by at, what I was sure to be, twice the maximum velocity. I didn't engage. I had a more important task.

After a while, my navigation instructed me to follow a long and deserted road for a few miles. It was allegedly ten minutes shorter, although the shabby state of the single carriageway made its use questionable to say the least. More than half of the streetlights were broken combined with the the dense wall of trees either side of the road, driving here was like a horror movie. Also, the asphalt wasn't in that good a shape either; those occasional bumps contributed to my neck hairs constantly standing upright. It was going to be another section of unmonitored Zootopia and my senses sharpened in order to detect any hint or clue. Ever since the construction of the inter-district highways, these roads had lost their value and were therefore often neglected. I wasn't even sure what the tolerated speed was here. At least you didn't get stuck in traffic here.

After what couldn't have been more than five minutes, the feminine voice advised me to leave the road. Just then I noticed a small, red light on the side road. I pulled over immediately. Once I was out of the car, I recognized it as the backlight of a car. I had seen it only as a quick flash that contrasted with the pitch black, however, now it was clearly visible in the darkness. I clicked on my flashlight and crossed the road silently. It was a limo that lay in a ditch about a metre below the road itself. The right rear end was smashed in like a milk carton, hence only one of the backlights was functional. The front of the car had been split in half by the trunk of an African acacia. The engine hummed slightly and a slim stream of smoke curled from underneath the deformed hood. One of the back doors was open.

Looking back at the road, I didn't believe it to be a coincidence that none of the lampposts here were working. They had been waiting for them to get onto the road here. I turned back to the limo and shone my torch on the scene. I didn't see any movement.

"Carrots?" I asked softly.

I didn't know why I whispered. Maybe it was the quiet of the environment, or just a primordial fear of the unknown. I slid down the slope, careful not lose my footing. Approaching the wreckage, my gut cramped in fear of what I might find inside. Judy injured. Maybe worse… Suddenly I detected something in the grass. It was a white, relatively large foot. Whoever it belonged to was hid behind the door. Was it another ambush? I reached for my gun only to find that I wasn't in uniform and no duty meant no equipment. Even my phone was still in the car since I used it for my navigation. I gulped. I had only my flashlight.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

I got no reply. I walked around the car door at a distance, aiming my light for the door at all times. It took me about a minute to get the animal in sight. It was a polar bear in a black suit, indefinitely one of Big's men. He didn't move, not even when I shone the light right into his eyes. I walked over to have a better look. The two huge, wet stains on his chest confirmed my suspicion: he was dead. It was Mike, Fru Fru's personal body guard. This was their car. A shiver shot over my spine and hurried myself to the backdoor.

Please. Oh God, please. Not Judy. Please, not Judy.

With a combined feeling of hesitation by not wanting to know and the urge to determine what had happened to my partner, I illuminated the inside of the vehicle. I heaved a deep sigh. It was empty. She wasn't here. That probably meant she wasn't dead either, else she would've been here with Mike. I noticed something metallic on the floor. I leaned over and picked it up. It was a gas grenade, halothane by the smell of it. They had been abducted.

I clambered back up to the road and headed for my car. I took my phone from the holder and dialled the ZPD emergency number. Following the conversation, I called in an ambulance. My experience was that their response times would be about a quarter of an hour. Better look for some clues until then and I jumped back down into the ditch.

Despite never having seen a corpse before, I suffered no aversion for Mike's dead body. I closed his eyes and began looking him over. I discovered powder on his coat. I leaned forward and sniffed it. Gun powder residue. I turned over Mike's body. Two exit wounds. He was probably shot from close range. That meant there had to be bullets and casings around here. Those would be hard to find. Maybe tomorrow we…

My ears perked upright. Was that music I heard? Yes, there it was again. It came from the car. The music became clearer when I re-entered the limo. A faint light from underneath one of the chairs brightened the interior. I reached under the chair. It was Judy's iCarrot.

"Oh no…"

The incoming call was from her parents. I stared at their photograph for a few seconds, hoping they would hang up. They didn't seem inclined to do so. And who was I to deny them the knowledge of their daughter? Moreover, even if we did manage to keep this abduction hidden from the press, what would they think of her if she didn't reply for a week or so? I inhaled deeply and pressed the green button.

 _"Hey honey! What took you so long?"_

"G-good evening Miss Hopps."

 _"Nick? Is that you?"_

"Yes, Miss Hopps. It's me."

 _"Hey. How are you doing? Are you fitting in at the precinct?"_

"Well, you know…" I replied, postponing the bad news I had to bring.

 _"Judy said you make a great cop and a fantastic partner."_

Tears sprang in my eyes.

"D-Did she?" I stammered.

 _"U-huh. Speaking of her, is she around? I'd like her opinion on something."_

I dried my eyes and took another deep breath to relax my tremoring vocal cords.

"She-errr… Miss Hopps, could you… could you sit down for a moment please?"

 _"Why? What's wrong?"_

"There-errr… There's something I need to tell you…"


	20. Investigating

**20\. Investigating**

 **==Nick==**

I sat on the hood of my car and gazed at the singular red backlight of the limo. The distance from areas, residential or otherwise resulted in the absence of any traffic and thus any form of noise. This allowed – also because it was well past daylight hours – for a complete silence. The sole thing besides my own breathing, was the gentle wind waving the treetops. This atmosphere of peace was ideal for moments of self-realization and pondering, however my mind choose to feel woesome and guilty. The conversation with Judy's parents kept playing in my head like a broken recorder.

 _"Please tell me it's not true; How do you know she's not dead; Why did they take her; And who?"_

It was as if her mother had been the embodiment of that voice inside my head. The on that kept asking me whether this was all really happening. To my own sadness as well as theirs, I hadn't been able to answer any of those questions. To me it was equally unreal; and the identity, as well as the reason of the culprit were another mystery of this case. I assumed it to be the same organization that had been attacking Big's affiliations and that Judy was mere collateral damage for the abduction of Big's daughter, yet if that was true, why had they kept her alive? If she even _was_ alive. Because that question had been the most destructive to my sanity of them all. The fact that she wasn't lying next to Mike in the grass in a pool of blood, was hardly a guarantee that she was still breathing.

 _"How do you know they haven't killed her afterwards or something?"_

It had been what her father had suggested. It had earned him a smack to the head from his wife, although I hadn't been able to dispute it. I hoped more than knew that Judy was alive. The deviation in the pattern was a reason to assume that she had been taken alive, albeit solid evidence was not what you could call it. Of course, her mother had reassured me that she wasn't killed.

 _"A mother can feel if her child is dead or alive, and my Judith is not dead!"_

I had heard that before, and currently I was willing to take on anything that supported the assumption that my partner wasn't dead. Moreover, I couldn't imagine my life without her anymore. I had hung up with the promise that I'd do anything to get Judy back to them safely. That I owed it to her for all that she had done. They were grateful for it and said I could call them whenever I needed to.

Now I sat idle, staring at the limousine, pondering whether I should've told them about my share of guilt in her abduction. Cause there was. If I hadn't accused her of blabbing about our relationship, she wouldn't have run off to Fru Fru and she wouldn't have been caught up in all this. Moreover, I would've been there to protect her. I _should've_ been there to protect her. I had promised her that.

I only snapped free from this self-consuming trance of guilt when the cavalry arrived. My estimation turned out to have been accurate. It had taken both police vehicles and ambulance fifteen minutes to be on site. Not long after their arrival, the ZPD's crime unit begun their search for clues. Dressed in sterile white overalls, they dusted for prints and took samples, like bagging the shell of the gas grenade that I had found from the limousine's interior. With their experience, they were even able to trace the empty bullet casings in a moment's notice. Their leading expert was a beige, female meerkat. The dark edges that lined her eyes made them appear bigger than they were. With a touchscreen and pen, she made notes of everything. In comparison to the large mammals her team consisted of, she was tiny; a trait she compensated by driving around on a small Segway.

I had heard rumors of her diligence and efficiency as well as her notoriously bad temper towards everyone she deemed incompetent. Resignations were nearly as often as dismissals, but this pressure for perfection amongst her staff had bred a team of diehard forensic scientists. Every time she passed me by, she glared at me. Clearly, I wasn't worthy. Or maybe she just didn't like me because I was a fox. Either way, if she lived up to the rumors of her temper, hopefully that meant she'd also be as much of a workaholic.

A coroner dressed was led to the body. His examination was brief and for the larger part, he indicated injuries for the photographs. Once he was done, a few more photographs by one of the forensics were made prior to Mike's body being wrapped in a sack of black plastic. He then walked over to me, whilst removing the blue nitrile gloves from his paws. I jumped from my car and met him halfway.

"I think you may have guessed the cause of death already, it's pretty evident he was shot." The spotted hyena said.

I nodded and watched how Mike was loaded onto a stretcher.

"Right, I'll be sure to have an official report send to the ZPD as soon as I can."

Without either of us saying anything else, he boarded the ambulance and disappeared from the scene as quickly as he had emerged. What a peculiar work that was, coroner. You swing by crime scenes to check on dead animals and subsequently cut them open on a table. There was a lot more to it than that, I knew that, yet the thought of cutting into animals you might just as easily have met at the train station. That was… quaint.

"Wilde!"

I turned around by the sound of my name. With the usual stern expression on his face, chief Bogo ambled across to road to meet me. The indicator lights of his car blinked as he locked it behind him. Unintentionally, I greeted him with a big yawn when he arrived.

"You look tired."

"And hungry." I added dryly.

My tone was drearier than I intended.

"Right…" He replied.

From his body language, I deduced that he renounced the original topic, which he had come to discuss with me. I wondered what it was.

"I have called in the best team we had available." He continued after a short lull.

"Yeah, I noticed."

The meerkat caught us both watching her. With a look of sheer contempt by seeing us do nothing, she averted her eyes and addressed one of her co-workers.

"Don't worry. Andromeda is the best."

"So, I've heard." I said, yawning again.

"You'd do best to call it a day and start fresh tomorrow."

"I can't, they need my statement, don't they?"

"That can wait until tomorrow. Go home. Sleep!"

I rubbed my forehead. The idea of sleep made it ache again.

"Yeah, fine. Just call me if you-"

"Go home and sleep, Wilde! That's an order."

Slightly agitated, I got behind the wheel of my car and after one last look at the scene, I turned around and drove back to my apartment.

 **==Judy==**

A thump against my head woke me up. Sort of, at least; I was far from fully conscious. I coughed and tried cover my mouth with my hand, but my limbs were too stiff and heavy to move. My head spun like a merry-go-round and it felt like the room was turning around me. The last time I felt this dizzy was after the car bomb. Another shock threw me up and had me land on the floor again with soft thud. In the following second, my brain got turned on and the recollection of the gas grenade got me fully awake. I was abducted! For a moment, I felt a panic rise, yet only for a moment. Flipping out wouldn't help, I had to stay calm and try to figure out as much as I could. I tried to move again. I still couldn't. It dawned on me that my arms and legs weren't tired. _They were tied up!_ Judging from the sensation on my skin, it was tie-wraps. Commonly used, mostly because they were so easy to apply and tough to remove without tools.

I also realized my surroundings in fact _were_ moving. That meant we hadn't arrived at our destination yet. Unfortunately, I had no idea how long we had been driving already, since I had been out for an unknown duration. I pressed my face against the floor. It felt and smelled like the carpeting of the inside of a car. I kicked my feet and felt more of the fabric on the walls. Yep, I was in a trunk.

The vehicle came to an abrupt stop and it made me roll over onto my right side. Doors slammed and I heard voices nearing. The roof above me flew open and the light stung my eyes. Then it became clear to me that I was blindfolded too. I had figured it to be just dark.

"You think she's awake already?" Someone said that I believe to be bent over me.

"Who cares? Get her inside." He got replied by someone further away.

I forced myself to stay completely still. If they thought I was asleep, they might drop a clue on something in their conversation. Unfortunately, two hands slipped across my belly to lift me up. This made me shiver and that blew my act.

"Yep. She's awake all right."

"Who are you and what do you want from me." I let out angrily.

"Since you're a cop, you must be smart enough to know we're not gonna tell you that, right?" The other guy answered.

It was worth a try. At least I knew they were both males. I was picked up and placed under somebody's arm. I smelled a cheap brand of deodorant and given their lack of interest in this job, these mammals were likely mercenaries. The animal that carried me started to walk and I began to count in my head. His feet made no sound on the ground and his breath was steady. That meant I wasn't a heavy load for him, thus he was a lot larger than I was. It was so cold outside, and frankly I was pleased with being pressed against the warm body of my abductor. I heard rather than felt that we went inside; it wasn't much warmer there. That led me to believe that we were back in tundra town.

We!

I had completely forgotten, what had happened to Fru Fru? The trunk had been closed right after I was taken out, so she hadn't been transported with me. Would she be somewhere else entirely, or just in another car? With the attacks on Mr. Big going on, I reckoned she was the intended target. But if that were true, why was I taken? Why wasn't I… shot. The idea made me nauseous, or was it the swaying pace of my kidnapper?

When my counting reached fifty, we went down some creaky stairs. It had twenty-five treads, given he didn't take multiple treads at a time; I still had no idea how big he was. What I did know was that I was kept in a basement. I was seated into a chair and the tie-wraps were secured to the wooden frame by means of an iron clip. To my nuisance, my duty belt was unbuckled and taken from my waist. Darn, I should have picked stuff from it when I had the chance. Then the two men left and the door was loudly closed, echoing in a way that implied a small room.

I tested and easily opened the clip, however it left me with the plastic band. This was harder. Also, I couldn't reach my feet, thus getting out of this chair was also a no-go. If only I had taken my Swiss knife from my duty belt earlier on. Or the pair of cutters, or the file. I was such an idiot. Not that berating myself was the way to go right now, however as creative as everyone always told me that I was, there was simply nothing to break my restraints. All I could do was wait. And during that waiting, why not curse my stupidity?

 _*Blam*_

Apparently, I didn't have to wait long. With a theatrical slam, the door was opened and in a slower tempo than required, the newcomer walked down the stairs. Clearly, he loved drama.

"Well, well, well."

My ears twitched. I recognized this voice.

Gently, the linen blindfold was pulled from my head. I flinched as my eyes adjusted to the light. It was unexpectedly brighter than I had imagined.

"What a lovely surprise to see you again, Miss Hopps."

Instinctively I quivered. Not from the cold. Nor fear. It was that voice. And when my pupils had settled, I stared right at the ugly mug of Jake Hare.

 **==Nick==**

What a terrible night. I had endured it with a lot of twisting and turning, kicking off sheets due to the heat and pulling them back after I got cold again. Judy's angry frown had kept staring at me every time I lowered my eyelids, like she had the last time I had seen her. It was a projection of my guilty subconscious. That I was just lying her in my bed, whereas she was god-knows-where. Additionally, the fact that I had not been by her side was eating me. Remarkably, in between my worrying I had dozed off a couple of times, however never for very long. I kept waking up from the voices of Judy and her parents resounding in my mind. In the end, I was perhaps even more exhausted now than before I had gone to bed.

I rolled over to massage my temples. Their pain seemed ever-present. I noted my pillow to be. Since when did I drool? I went over to the bathroom and stared into the mirror. My eyes were almost bloodshot. The evidence that I had cried in my sleep was undeniable. I washed my face with cold water and took an aspirin for my headache. In addition, I took a cold morning shower. Regrettably, it barely alleviated my complaints. I slipped into my uniform and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like crap. Then again, I perfectly reflected my inner status. Maybe some coffee would help.

I went over to the kitchen and filled the machine with the ingredients for a strong cup. I flipped the switch and grabbed a carton of orange juice, along with a few slices of bread and the jar of blueberry jam, from the fridge. I made a sandwich with jam and shoved it into my mouth. As I chewed, I noticed an absence of a certain humming. The coffee machine still hadn't done anything. I got up and flipped it's on/off switch a few times. Nothing. My gnawing headache pushed my irritation to a point of unreasonableness.

"How can you deny me my morning coffee!" I cried at it angrily, smashing its topside, "Piece of junk."

The lifeless electronic was an excellent outlet for the aggression that had built overnight. I remembered that it had broken down a week ago, and with Judy and I always getting coffee at Snarlbucks there hadn't been a real need for me to replace it, yet that didn't matter. Beating up the coffee maker was the first relief I had found this morning to ease my moral pain.

I panted, sat down in the chair at the kitchen table and stared at the device. It had sustained several dents because of my outraged pounding. I needed a new one anyway. And I felt much better now. Or was that the aspirin was kicking in? Either way, eating something again was also a delight. Yesterday I had totally forgotten about dinner. I had been hungry when I left, although with time that had passed and with a stomach full of worries, food hadn't really come to mind after my return.

I awoke from my state of mindless chewing when somebody knocked on my door. Whoever it was, they'd best be ready for a case of serious morning blues. I swallowed the last bit of my sandwich and went over to open the door. It was another of Big's black-suited polar bears, Kevin. Whereas I'd normally feel intimidated by them, this morning I felt too crappy to think in my routine.

"My boss wants to see you." He bellowed.

"Maybe later, I'm eating my breakfast."

"No, you will come now."

"Seriously?!" I sparked.

"Willingly or not. I don't care." He warned me.

I sighed, knowing that he'd probably pick me up and carry me with him if he had to.

"Fine." I groaned, "I'll eat my breakfast on the way."

I was glad to find that he didn't object to that. I was hungry and I needed my energy. I quickly made four additional sandwiches with jam, snatched my new jacket and duty belt off their hooks and followed Kevin down the stairs.


	21. Return Of The Con Artist

**21\. Return of The Con Artist**

 **==Nick==**

Mister Big's hallway was a large as it was cold. I sat on a maroon, thickly cushioned bench next to the door, to what I remembered to be his office. I was glad that my feet dangled a few inches above the ground; the marble stones conducted heat well and were therefore viciously cold. In the back, the gentle tones of Jerry Vole echoed through the house and gave a certain serenity to the mansion. I, in contrast, restlessly swayed my feet antiparallel. However, in comparison to my previous visits, it was out of agitation rather than anxiety. Every second wasted here, was another I could have used to track Judy or her kidnappers.

I had the urge to just get up and leave, but I fought that inclination. From where I sat, it might appear as though I was all alone, yet I knew better than that. In this house, you were always being monitored and not just by the small surveillance cameras that stared down at you from each corner. I pricked up my ears. There it was! A cough. There was somebody else in the hallway. So, they knew how worked up I was about being kept waiting for so long. I checked my watch. I had been sitting here for fifteen minutes now. And all the while Judy was being held captive somewhere.

"I've had enough of this."

I jumped from the bench and walked to the door. With the knob in hand, a stern voice warned me.

"You can't go in yet."

I noticed the polar bear sitting at the end of the hallway. He sat on a similar bench as I had been on myself and was reading a newspaper. Despite not looking at me, he seemed to know what I was doing.

"Why not? I've waited long enough."

"You can't go in yet!" He repeated louder.

"Why not?" I replied, also raising my voice.

"You can't-"

"You know what, I have no time for this." I interrupted him.

With a little more aggression than intended, I pulled open the wooden door. The sharp, creaking noise silenced the conversation inside. Big and another shrew were standing close together, the former having his hand on the latter's shoulder. It was Fru Fru's husband, Edgar. He was deeply shaken.

"Don't worry, Edgar. We will find her." Big reassured him.

He nodded and turned around. Only then did he spot me in the opening.

"YOU!"

He pointed at me resentfully, his beady little eyes scintillating from the tears. His hateful tone startled me a bit and when he hopped off the desk, he spurted over to me faster than I could respond.

"What are you doing here?! Don't you have kidnappers to find?!" He snapped.

"Trust me, I'm wondering the same thing."

He didn't listen as his intention was not to get a reasonable answer from me. He collapsed against my shin and cried. I bent over and patted him on the back gently. He sobbed some imprecations at me about how I was not doing my job. I didn't feel offended; I couldn't blame him. This morning I had beaten up my coffee machine over Judy's abduction. I knew the anger he experienced, the grief, the helplessness of not-knowing. His wife had been taken. His _pregnant_ wife. He, as the father, would feel more responsible than anyone for her safety. After a few seconds, he pulled out a handkerchief and dried his eyes as well as my leg. He muttered an apology and went downstairs.

"Nicky, come further." Big called from inside.

I walked by Koslov, who had instantly responded to my entrance. He hadn't taken any action though. After closing the door behind me, he returned to his position behind his boss's desk. Only after Mister Big had resettled himself in his chair, did I sit down. Upon seating myself, I realized that the desk was much higher than the chair. This brought me on a face-to-face level with the rodent. This did simplify a conversation, yet it also gave a subconscious hint of Mr. Big's high influence, something that he always liked to remind me off.

I waited for him to start the conversation, since that was how I was taught to be respectful in his presence. The large, bristly brows hid any form of emotion as they always did, but I knew that underneath them, there had to be sorrow. His daughter was possibly in mortal danger and knowing his dedication to his family, the news had to have come in hard. It was virtually impossible to read his expression. The only way to do that, was to sense it, albeit that included a certain degree of guessing… Believe me if I say that I loved a gamble every now and then. Just not with this particular rodent.

"I'm sure you know why I asked you to come here."

I opened my mouth to refute his words, since 'asking' implied a choice. I didn't. It would lead to nothing anyway. It was evident that he had brought me to hear me out on the case. Regrettably I had little information for him.

"I think I do, sir."

"Well?"

"Errr, where do you want me to start?"

"I want to know who did this…"

"Well at this point we still have multiple possibilities and-"

"STOP WASTING MY TIME!"

He scared the hell out of me. I had never heard him yell and frankly it terrified me that he could put up such a voice. Eyebrows or not, his emotions were evident. He was very, very angry.

"Sorry, I'm just a little worried about my daughter." He resumed as calm as ever. "You understand, right?"

Naturally, this too was not a question.

"I do, sir."

"Good. So, I'll ask you again. Who did this?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know…"

"It's simply too early to draw any direct conclusions."

"So, after all this time, you still don't know who is responsible…"

His tone set my hairs on end and despite the cold, I felt my hands and back getting sweaty. This kind of speech was mostly a prelude to the inevitable ice tub in his basement. If we had been there, instead of his office, I was probably already gasping for breath in arctic waters.

"Look, I understand that this is _just work_ to you and that you can't spend work twenty-four seven, but I get a feeling that you're not doing your best here, Nicky."

"I'm sorry?"

"I realize now that I made a mistake by leaving this to the cops. I should have taken matters into my own hands from the start."

He gestured to Koslov, who made his way to open the door. I rose to my feet and planted my palms onto the desk.

"Are you saying that I'm not taking this case serious enough?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying Nicky. Truth be told, I never believed you were the right man for this job and if Judy hadn't convinced me, you'd not be here. For her sake, I've given you two a chance. Unfortunately, you screwed up and now my daughter is paying the price for your lack of dedication."

Something snapped in me. My anxiety vanished and an anger set in. The same kind that turned the coffee machine into a punching bag this morning. He wasn't just insulting me, he was insulting Judy as well. Maybe I had not been taking this case as serious as I could have, however Judy was _always_ professional. Always putting other mammals' needs in front of her own. Him saying otherwise, was a step too far. Mob boss or not, I did not allow this.

"Escort Mr. Wilde off the premises." He ordered.

Koslov took hold of my shoulder. In response, I pushed his arm away. This surprised him long enough for me to confront Mr. Big.

"You think I'm not taking it seriously? Do you even know that Judy was taken too?!"

"I do, but I-"

"But what? You don't really care? No, why would you? After all, she's not _your_ family…"

I heard Koslov reaching for me again. Unexpectedly, Big raised his paw to stop him.

"… Well maybe _you_ don't care about her, but _I_ do! Judy is _my_ family. No, actually she is more than that. She's the love of my life. Yeah, that's right. You know why? Because besides having a pretty face, she is the only animal who isn't judgmental about me. Who honestly believes in me, trusts me, gives me confidence, and you claim that I wouldn't do anything to get her back? How dare you. How dare you even think that? Do you have any idea what I would do to see her safe again? Do you? And how dare you even say that she didn't put her best effort into finding the person attacking you? Calling her unprofessional is the greatest lack of insight I've ever encountered!"

I was so angry, I had said things animals in this house had been killed over for even thinking them. Koslov knew that too and when I was done talking, his claw nearly crushed my shoulder to make sure I wouldn't squirm out as easily as before. The small mammel reclined in his chair and buried his chin in his right hand, probably contemplating what to do with. It didn't matter. Big deserved to know the truth. That I would burn down Zootopia to get Judy back, something I knew he would do just as well for his daughter. Simultaneously, I was mad at myself for speaking out of tone as I had. If he killed me now, who would look for Judy? I had promised her parents I would bring her home safely. I couldn't do that from my coffin.

"Release him." Big said at length.

My rage disappeared as soon as it had welled up. Then again, the surprise of not being executed at the spot was too great. Koslov hesitated for a second, probably equally thunderstruck.

"I said release him."

The blood circulation in my arm resumed. I pretended to flatten my uniform, while in fact rubbing the five bruises that Koslov's grip would inevitably leave there.

"I had no idea you and she were that close, or that you were this passionate… Maybe you are the right man for the job." He said ponderingly.

My instinct told me to thank him, however my head overruled this idea. After his insults that would not be logical and I was glad that he admitted his mistake. As far as Big ever apologized for anything at least.

"I'll give you three more days to find out who did this and unlimited access to any resources I can provide you with, to accomplish this task. In return I expect to get updates from you constantly, do we have a deal?"

"In contrast to popular belief, you can trust me on this."

I was already out of the room when I heard him calling me again.

"Nicky…"

I turned back to him.

"Bring our girls back." He emphasized.

 **==Judy==**

"What a lovely surprise to see you again, Miss Hopps." Jake Hare said, bending forward.

"I wish I could say the same."

He reared back up and smirked. He was again wearing a grey suit with black stripes, only this time with a pitch-black shirt and no tie. I hated to admit that with his pale fur, it made him kind of handsome, yet I knew from experience that on the inside, a mammal could hardly be uglier than him.

"Come now, where are your manners."

"I'm sorry. I left them in the car when I was dragged from it."

I sounded like Nick. Sarcasm was more his thing than it was mine. It didn't really suit me and as an officer, it wasn't a very useful trait either. Still, I had to admit that it could be enjoyable. Seeing Jake's smile fade gave me a certain satisfaction.

"I figured you'd be happy that I brought you here." He said as he starts to circle me.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I frowned.

"Well, seeing as though they could also have shot you."

A shiver tremored over my spine. Suddenly, my throat became dry too. I hadn't really thought about that. I could just as easily have been killed.

"Then why didn't you?"

He stopped in front of me and crouched to look me straight in the eye.

"And waste this pretty face?" He said, stroking my cheek. "Heavens no…"

I pulled my head away from his hand. He scoffed.

"I was hoping you had reconsidered. Especially now that I have saved your life."

"On what?"

"On us."

He shocked me so much that he made my ears jump upright. So, that's why he had left me alive. The nausea of my first encounter with him returned. God, why did this creep had to fall for me. I felt so disgusted.

"I'd rather be killed than be with you."

He stood back up.

"Unbelievable. You really prefer a fox over your own kind?" He asked genuinely surprised.

"Me and him have more alike than you and I will ever have."

"Are you serious? He's got no money, no status, no power. Heck, if it weren't for you, he wouldn't even have had a job!"

"There's more to life than a big wallet." I reminded him.

For some reason, he just didn't take no for an answer. And how did he dare to place himself above Nick. They were complete opposites of one another. Nick was patient, caring and shy. This guy was a spoiled, arrogant jerk.

"You disappoint me Judy." He shook his head sadly. "But, I'm sure you'll come 'round."

"I wouldn't count on it."

"No?"

Before I could reply again, he lashed out at me, his paw whipping me across my face. It was as vicious as a snakebite and with speed to match. I felt rather than saw the action. The marks of it burned painfully on my skin and I couldn't withhold a few tears from springing into my eyes. He lifted my face to have me look at him and smirked content upon seeing them. He had wanted to hurt me and he had. The sadistic joy of it was written over his foul grin.

"Trust me dear. Before the day is over, you'll regret not having chosen the real man."

I snorted amused by the irony that his mind failed to see. Something which clearly agitated him.

"What's so funny?"

"You're beating up a lady and you call yourself a man?"

He struck me another time. I flinched as it came down perhaps even harder than the last one. It was driven by anger, and my continuing defiance was fueling it well. Maybe sarcasm wasn't the best decision right now. A small stream of blood meandered down my suffering cheek. It was caused by the ring Jake was wearing. I lifted my head to look at him. He was clearly used to being in control and the fact that I didn't do as he pleased, made him desperate and spiteful. What a pathetic piece of rabbit. I pierced his eyes with my own. He raised his paw for a third blow, but stopped when he noticed the reflection of fortitude in mine. He wouldn't break me, no matter how often he'd hit me. Sensing that determination, made him scared. He lowered his hand and turned around, correcting the borders of his shirt.

"Fine then. But you'd do well to rethink your attitude before our next conversation, Miss Hopps." He commented and went up the stairs.

He opened the door and glanced down at me.

"Or I might not have a use for you any longer."

 **==Nick==**

"Remind me, why are you here again?"

I posed the question to the muscular polar bear, that had barely managed to squirm himself into the passenger seat of my car. He must be getting seriously cramped up. The seat wasn't designed for his posture. With his grumpy stare through the windshield and his neck in a near nighty degree angle, Kevin looked like a vulture that waited for his next meal to blow out its last air. Not that that wasn't the case sometimes; I was well acquainted with their line of work after all.

"To collect a very sensitive piece of evidence from the limousine."

"Oh yes. And what was this evidence exactly?"

"I can only tell you if it turns out to be relevant."

"Well, you can only access it with my help. I'm sure you're familiar with the quid-pro-quo principle?"

"Considering that I haven't strung you up for insulting my boss, I believe I've already lived up to my end, wouldn't you say?"

"Actually, I have to disagree with you on that." I replied apologetically.

"Well that's too bad."

I never liked Kevin much anyway. Nor any of Big's polar bears. They were all so emotionless. And the few moments that they weren't, they were still terrible company. When I parked at the precinct, I asked him to wait for me to arrange an entry for him. What he didn't know was that I had no intention of smuggling one of Big's henchmen into the police station. I agreed to give the mob boss his updates and to do whatever I could to rescue Judy and Fru-Fru, but only if I deemed those things useful. Retrieving some evidence that could potentially hurt their family name, was in my opinion not a contribution to finding the kidnappers.

That didn't mean however, that I had not become curious. Perhaps I had to have a look at this 'evidence' myself instead.

"Hey Ben. Do you know if Johnson's in? Bogo told me he had arranged for the limousine to be brought in."

The rotund cat got a fright when he saw me.

"Nick! Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry about Judy. I miss her so much too. I hope she's all right!"

"That makes two of us."

"Listen, I'm sorry about that whole thing yesterday. I shouldn't have been poking around like that. I feel so bad now, with Judy missing and you guys fighting and all."

I felt a severe sting in my chest. The realization that the last thing Judy and I had done was argue, was perhaps the thing that pained me the most about her kidnapping. The fear that I might not see her ever again to right that wrong… It made the guilt I felt weigh so much heavier.

"It's fine, I don't blame you. It's my fault. I'm the one who messed things up." I confessed.

"Don't say that Nick. I'm sure they'll get her back."

"Yeah… Wait, what did you say? They?" I asked.

A nasty suspicion crawled out from the more paranoid corners of my brain.

"Oh. You didn't, I mean-uhm… I-I meant we. Of course, _we_. Just a slip of the tongue."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him incisively as he laughed nervously.

"What are you not telling me?"

"Nothing. Nothing." He said, evading my look by diving into some paperwork.

"Ben…"

He smiled again insecurely.

"Well, errr. It is possible that the chief has taken you off the case."

"HE DID WHAT?!"

I blasted my chubby friend almost from his seat and stormed up the stairs. In the distance, I faintly heard Clawhauser call to me.

"Don't be mad at him, Nick! It's only logical what he did! Don't say things to him you might regret!"

The echoes of his warnings sounded familiar. As if I had said them myself. I couldn't remember. All I knew, was that Bogo was gonna get it. I nearly punched a hole in his door when I got to his office. When I got no response, I opened it myself. I barged into a private conversation that, as fate would have it, involved him and Bob Johnson discussing Judy's case.

"Why did you take me off the case?!" I called out.

The buffalo looked up from the papers and the lion turned around with equal curiosity. There I stood: enraged and gasping for air from rushing up all those stairs. I expected Bogo to verbally bash me for my lack of discipline. He didn't. He remained tranquility incorporate. He whispered something to Johnson, in response to which the cat stood up and made his way to exit the room. When he reached me, he looked at me compassionately.

"Hey Nick, I'm sorry about Judy. Know that I'll do anything to-"

"Shut up! I don't want your pretended sympathies!"

I was so fed up with everyone right now and his nagging was the last thing I wanted to hear. Johnson sighed and left the room.

"Wilde. Sit down for a moment." Chief Bogo said.

"First I want to know why you took me off the case!"

"I'll tell you when you sit down." He repeated himself.

"I want to know why?!"

He shot me a deadly glare.

"Personal involvement, Wilde, what else? It can't get any more personal than what you two have and you know it! Now stop acting like an idiot and sit down."

"You… We… How… What?"

I was so dumbstruck by the fact that he knew that Judy and I had withheld our personal affair from him that I got lost in my words. I wasn't shocked by his knowledge, nor disappointed or anxious. I was only surprised. While I was convalescing from the shock, Bogo reviewed the dossiers on his desk and calmly reorganized them. And by remaining so calm, I felt indeed like an idiot by acting so pumped up.

"Well?" He asked again sternly.

"Y-yes. Of course, sir."

I noted that I had rediscovered my respectfulness somewhere. I sat down in the wooden chair with my paws between my crossed legs. Only now the chief granted me another look, though I dared not meet his eyes. I think his gaze had pierced my aggressive outer layer and had seen me for the emotional wreck that I was. He put his stuff aside and folded his hooves.

"Look. I know that you care much more about Judy than we do, and that is fine, but that is also why you must let _us_ do the investigation. You cannot trust your own judgement right now. When it comes to the ones we love, we are blinded by our emotions. Don't get me wrong, loving someone is great and it makes you capable of amazing things, but you know as well as I that investigative police work is not one of those things."

I had my stare still pinned at my feet, silently regretted my outburst, and letting his words sink in. He was right. Having kicked down his door like a crazed beast was first-hand proof of what he said. When it came to Judy, I couldn't think straight. I couldn't perform my duties this way.

"You are right, sir. Please accept my apologies."

"I understand your grief, Wilde, I really do, and for that reason I will turn a blind eye on your antics."

"Thank you, sir."

I dodged a bullet for the second time today, yet the mercifulness of my superiors wasn't limitless. Eventually my luck would run out. Before that happened, I needed to have a grip on my emotions.

"But please. Don't ever shout at me like that again. I can't put up with that behavior from my staff on a regular basis. I would lose my authority."

"I understand. Trust me, it won't happen again." I promised and got up from my chair.

"Good to hear. And don't worry about Judy. That rabbit is one tough cookie. She'll survive. And with every available mammal working on her case, she'll be back with us before you know it."

I smiled sadly. Every time her name was mentioned, I missed her more. He muttered a 'dismissed' and returned to his paperwork.

Outside, Bob was leaning against the wall in the corner. He was browsing the file Bogo had given him. When I approached him, he looked at me with an indistinct expression. He was probably unamused by my treatment, yet also aware of my difficulties with mentally handling Judy's abduction. Or at least I hoped he was.

"Hey Bob, I would like to apologize. I was unnecessarily rude to you, I had no right to say what I said."

"It's all right. I understand that it must be hard to relinquish this case. If my partner was missing, I'd probably want to do it myself."

"No, the chief is right. I'm too involved to stay objective. I'm sure the case is in good hands with you." I said, extending my hand.

"I'll do my utmost. You have my word, man." He replied, shaking it.

After he had entered Bogo's office, I slowly treaded down the stairs and to the parking lot. They were right. When it regarded Judy's welfare, I wasn't objective. She meant the world to me. She was my world. And that realization had only strengthened now that she wasn't in it anymore. With that in mind, I wasn't capable of acting as an officer. I wouldn't be able to play by the book with emotions running as high as the had done today. And for that precise reason, it had dawned on me that I shouldn't be trying to find her as _Nicholas Wilde, ZPD_ _Officer_. I had to find her as _Tricky_ _Nicky, Con Artist._


	22. The 'Sensitive' Evidence

_**Hey all. I'm a bit late but still I wanted to wish you all a Happy 2017.**_

* * *

 **22\. The 'Sensitive' Evidence**

 **==Nick==**

Outside I found Kevin waiting for me in the parking lot. He towered over the car he was standing next to and because of that, I was certain that he drew a lot of attention. It didn't fit into the daily image of the precinct's parking lot, to have a huge bear standing among the cars, at least not one that wasn't an officer. He didn't notice my approach until I appeared from behind the row of vehicles. He was browsing through some stuff on his phone, I couldn't see what. He kept swiping his thumb.

"Kevin?" I asked.

"Mmhm?" He replied without breaking eye-contact with his smartphone.

"How long have you been standing here like this?"

He didn't answer me straight away. First he typed and sent out a text, closed the files of whatever it was that he had done until I arrived, and finally tucked it away. Only then did he shift his gaze to meet mine.

"Does it matter?"

I felt a certain agitation arise from the stupidity of that question, yet managed to withhold informing him of that.

"It does."

He drew a pensive look and concluded that it was likely around half an hour. I sighed and scratched my cheek. Chances were high more than one animal had seen him hanging around here. That idiot, why couldn't he have stayed low or at least waited somewhere else. That was a bit unfair since I had asked him to wait here. Well, there was nothing to do about it now. We had to try it another day, now would be too risky. It would raise questions, and to answer them, I needed a credible story for me to walk in with a humongous, criminal polar bear. A thought occurred.

"Hey Kevin. Smash that backlight. That one, next to you."

"What for?"

"Do you ask Big so many question when he asks you to do things?"

"No, but he pays me and you don't."

He had a fair point.

"Just smash it."

To my unpleasant surprise, he smashed not the one I pointed at, but that of my own car. I was too late to react, thus the glass splinters of my right backlight were scattered around our feet. He looked at me patiently, waiting for an explanation.

"I meant the other car actually."

"I know." He replied deadpanned.

I should have known.

"Right, well, you are hereby under arrest for vandalism of police property."

With more speed than Kevin could have anticipated for, I cuffed him in the fluent motion Judy had told me to imprint. Having applied it on a real-life suspect for the first time, I realized that all that practice paid off. Kevin's stoic expression plummeted into an angry one. He tried to break open the pawcuffs with all his strength, yet they were made to withstand a full-grown male elephant, thus he wouldn't succeed in a million years. He growled at me menacingly.

"You better pray these cuffs hold me, Nick."

"Oh stop whining, I'll release you once we're inside."

The confusion was clearly readable. Big's henchmen might be strong, they were not always very clever. Although he let me guide him inside, I was certain that he still didn't fully understand the plan. That didn't matter as long as he remained his usual taciturn self, so he wouldn't mess it up.

Upon our passage through the entrance hall, we received a great number of eyes. It gave me a strange sensation, and not in a positive way. It was of course our size difference that sparked everyone's interest. Who would think that a small fox like myself would be capable of bringing in an adult polar bear? The attention faded almost as quickly as it had emerged. As so often, the best cover was to hide in plain sight. I was not trying to sneak a criminal into the evidence room. If anyone asked, I was simply bringing in a suspect; And if anyone bothered to check up on the story, there was my broken car light to support it.

Despite my preparations, nobody cared enough to give us any second thoughts and thus I reached the locker room without trouble. Hiding behind Kevin's massive stature, I pulled myself up by his suit to peek through the glass window of the locker room. When I was certain it was empty, we went in, where I removed the cuffs. In an automated response, he rubbed his wrists and looked around the room.

"Now what?"

"Now…" I said, digging my lock picking tool up from my duty belt. "… we get you a uniform."

There were always some officers on leave and with everyone on the force being as large as Kevin, finding his size couldn't be hard. The first one was already a match. Tentatively, Kevin replaced his black suit and tie for the slightly worn out ZPD uniform of Officer Anderson. Although few animals came here in the middle of the day – shifts started early or late, rarely around noon – I asked him not to dawdle. I didn't like the idea of getting caught stealing a uniform. The chances of it happening were slim, yet they existed.

"How can you wear this, the collar is way too tight." He complained, trying to stretch it up.

"Says the guy who wears a tie on daily basis."

He groaned and gave up trying to free himself from the collar's grip.

"Okay, so here's the plan. The limousine will be in with in the 'large evidence' storage, which is just a few doors from here. The problem is that there's a guy at the entrance that keeps track of who comes and goes."

"So how do you plan to bypass him?" He wondered.

"Well, I was told he is not very good with faces."

"Told by who?"

"My most reliable source of advice…"

He looked at me quizzically.

"Myself."

Before he could write down my sense of humor, I preceded him to the evidence storage a little further down the hallway. On our way there, I urged on him to remember that he had to act like an officer and not a henchman. Sadly, this only made his movements more idiotic, thus I took back my words and assured him that it wasn't that important after all. Better a non-motile bear than a one that looked like he was shot in the leg…

"Now remember. If he asks, you're Officer Anderson and you returned early from your holiday. Got it?"

He nodded.

"Good."

Upon my arrival at the reception desk, the old ram looked up from his computer screen. He looked at me, then at Kevin. His eyes narrowed as he read the latter's name tag. Afterwards he compared Kevin's face to the name on his uniform. He took his time with it, but eventually concluded that face and name were a match. I had estimated correctly that with so many different mammals coming here on a daily basis, he wouldn't be able to distinguish everyone. That said, he did know a few names, mine and Judy's included. That wasn't so strange, we were the only ones of our kind and therefore an unusual sight.

"Ah Nick, what can I do for you?"

"Hey Ted…"

Old Ted Curlhorn had been stationed here longer than chief Bogo and was, with his thirthy-eight years the officer with the longest service period in the ZPD. Everybody knew Ted and despite his age, he had a very lively personality. He liked to trick new recruits into believing he was helpless to have them carry him up the stairs every now and then, only to tell them that he had forgotten being stationed at ground level. I remembered him trying to fool me as well. It had pleased him that I hadn't judged him simply on his appearance. Of course, few mammals knew that my previous 'job' required me to read other's personalities, to avoid picking the wrong targets.

"I'm here to look at that limo that has been brought in yesterday. That ring any bells?"

"Sure. It's not every day that I get a car with so much bling."

With some difficulty he raised himself from his chair, but once one his feet, he was quite mobile. Again, the unnerving sensation tremored across my body and through my veins. I tried my best to ignore it, though it kept nagging. After bringing me to the limousine, Ted showed it to me proudly, like he owned the thing. I agreed with him that it was a shiny car, however I remembered all too well how I found it, and under what circumstances. That kind of spoiled the glamour of it all.

"Thanks Ted. I'll let you know when I need anything else."

He nodded and returned to his post. Seeing him leave, I felt slightly guilty for fooling him. I had become quite fond of him and his shenanigans. Still, what he didn't know, wouldn't hurt him, and I had to find Judy, no matter what the cost.

"Well, Kevin, you're up."

He pointed at the roof and swirled his finger.

"What about the surveillance cameras?" He whispered.

"Nobody ever checks those unless something goes missing. And Mr. Big told me that is impossible that this 'evidence' of his has been found yet. Well, what isn't found, can't go missing, can it?"

He thought about this for a second, yet soon saw the logic of my reasoning. I was glad to see he knew exactly where to be. Even though I had everything under control, the longer we stayed, the greater the chance we'd run into unforeseen troubles. Surely, nothing could have prolonged our stay more than Kevin not knowing where to look.

"Do you have a charger cable?" He asked.

"I do actually." I replied, pulling the charger cable from my pocket.

Ironically, the reason I had that with me, was due to my hasty departure this morning as a result of Kevin himself. He gestured me to come closer and handed me his phone, whilst he opened the door. I plugged it into his phone and returned to him both elements. Whilst sitting in the driver seat, he placed the phone on his lap and unclicked a silver charm from a charm bracelet on his wrist. A closer look revealed that all the charms were in fact small keys, undoubtedly leading to similar secrets like the one I was going to witness. He inserted the key into a lock that was hidden in the hinge area of the limousine's driver door. It was only accessible when the door was opened and therefore perfectly concealed. After twisting the key, a slit uncovered two USB entrances, in one of which Kevin plugged his phone. A few touches on his phone's display and he began retrieving the required data. I peeked on his screen to read the name and size of the files. From what I saw, I had my suspicions of what it was that he was downloading.

"Is that what I think it is?"

He glanced at me briefly, but looked back at the phone without answering me.

"Isn't it illegal to have cameras in taxiing vehicles?"

"Now you understand why this evidence is sensitive."

"I could charge the company with violation of privacy, you know that?"

"You could also shut up and let me find out who took my boss's daughter and your friend." He answered dryly.

I did as commanded and held my tongue. Judy and Fru Fru were indeed top priority now. Besides, it was only natural that with Mr. Big's off record activities, he had taken precautions for when somebody decided to retaliate. By kidnapping his daughter for example.

When the transfer was complete, he returned me the cable and sealed the hidden USB ports. He attached the key to his bracelet again and closed the door. I assumed that this meant that he was finished, thus I preceded him to the Ted's desk. I thanked the old ram and bid him a good day. When he told Kevin, in his mind Officer Anderson, to give his best wishes to the wife and child, I was once more stung by my guilty conscious. It was a bit funny actually. All those years as a conman I never would even have thought that I had a conscious.

After Kevin had changed back into his own clothing, the trickiest part of my plan came. Because virtually everyone had seen me enter the building with a pawcuffed polar bear, leaving the building with that same bear, was going to raise some questions. The two possibilities were for Kevin and I to exit the building alone, or to exit together via the back entrance. The latter seemed more appealing to me, albeit Kevin correctly stated that the former had the highest chance of success. Five minutes after he had left, I followed. Our rendezvous was my car outside, easily recognizable by the broken backlight. When I strolled through the main hall, I finally recognized the strange feeling that bugged me since I had entered the building.

Nervousness.

I hadn't felt this way for years, the last time having been in my eleventh year maybe. It was the anxiety of a rookie trickster, therefore me suffering from it, was a real surprise. The reason I deduced quickly from the sight of my own reflection in the freshly waxed tile floor. My uniform, my job, my life. I was putting all of it at risk by doing what I did. Sure, it was for Judy, which made it all worth it, but for the very first time I actually had something to lose if my scam went wrong. If they caught me, I would not only face jail time. I would lose my partnership with Judy. On the other hand, the nervousness was also evidence that I had a happy life now, and I cherished it enough to have my subconscious warn me not to lose it.

"Hey Nick!" I heard Clawhauser call me.

He visibly startled me from my trance, which seemed to amuse him.

"Didn't mean to scare you." He apologized smilingly.

I walked over to him in what felt to my like the most unnatural way possible. The nerves made my hair stand on end, a trait that was luckily limited to the fur underneath my uniform.

"How did it go with the chief? Please don't tell me he fired you."

I laughed, something which was not often done by my usual self. I had to get a grip quickly before I'd be the one messing up instead of Kevin.

"Strangely enough he didn't."

The cheetah's eyes widened.

"Really?" He bent forward and continued in a whisper. "Cause just about everyone is gossiping about how you just charged into the chief's office."

I looked around to see some of officers indeed watching me and mutter to each other behind their paws. In my tense mood, I had believed it to be because of my scheme. This being the true reason, was good news and my tension was slightly subdued by it. Being more relaxed, I didn't have to think long about my reply. Bogo had spared me by acting so mildly, it was on me to spare his image.

"Well, it did cost me a week of my holidays and I need to do some extra parking duties."

"Sounds like you dodged a bullet. If you had caught him in a bad mood, you'd be scrubbing floors or something."

I was intrigued by the fact that Ben considered the punishment I had made up for myself to be light. Apparently Bogo's regime was a harsher one than I imagined. If so, I was very lucky that Bogo was a more sensitive soul than he had everyone believe and that he understood my feelings, regarding Judy's disappearance.

"Well, I'm off to my first parking duty." I said goodbye, realizing that my imaginary penalty also gave me the perfect opportunity to be out of the office to look for Judy.

"Good luck." He replied supportively.

I left the building and headed for the parking lot, glad that I still mastered my old habit of scheming. Hopefully the limousine cameras could identify the culprit. Unfortunately for me, my content was short-lived. Because when I reached my car, I noticed Kevin to be absent and it dawned on me, that I had been played like one of Jerry Vole's fiddles.


	23. Insurgency

**_Hey all. Been a while since I updated, sorry 'bout that._** ** _ ** _Like my profile specifies, my update times are awefully irregular._** There have been reasons as to why I haven't written a lot over the past two months, but I won't trouble you with them. Instead, enjoy chapter 23._**

* * *

 **23\. Insurgency**

 **==Judy==**

A stumble overhead stirred me from my sleep. I felt a comfortable warmth as I woke up, thanks to my blanket. Yesterday, after Jake had left me, a wolf had returned to wrap me in a thick blanket. It was made of artificial wool and kept me warm. If Jake was going to take my life, at least he wouldn't be doing so by letting me slowly freeze in his basement. The wool isolated generously and its gentle embrace had made me doze off. I knew for a fact however, that the moment Jake would return, I would have the chills in no time. I had to escape this room. The question was how.

When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing. Without the lights, the room was as black as night. The basement had been completely dark after the my last visitor, the wolf, had had departed and although this had facilitated a steady sleep, it complicated my intention to break free. Despite the near pitch-black, some details stood out. The boxes stashed against the walls, the pillars that held the floor above me, the staircase. Maybe this was also, because I remembered these distinguishing features. The first step to retaking my freedom, was to get free from my cuffs and increase visibility.

Again, I heard noise overhead and this time it was closer. An assumption that proved correct after the door atop the stairs swung open. A small silhouette with tall ears appeared vaguely against the bright hallway that forced my eyes into narrow slits. This was only worsened when the basement light was turned on. In the sound of his slow descent, I recognized my captor. I heard him position himself in front of me. He waited for me to open my eyes to look at him. I postponed this for as long as I felt credible, to test his current temper.

"Slept well, Judy? I can call you Judy, right?"

I reckoned that Jake was at least a man of hygiene as he seemingly wore a different shirt every day, today a blue one. I also smelled an expensive variant of eau de toilette.

"Miss Hopps will do." I replied.

"Right, Judy it is." He continued undisturbed.

A caribou came down to place a chair for his boss and left as quickly as he had come. Jake took off and hung his jacket over the back of the chair and sat down in front of me. My eye fell on the metallic pen that shimmered in the breast pocket. It might have a point sharp enough to break the tie wraps around my wrists and ankles. I had to get a hold of it.

"So. Have you given the matter some thought?"

"What matter?" I lied.

He smiled.

" _Our_ matter of course."

"I thought I was very clear yesterday. It was yesterday, right?" I asked evasively.

"Really? That is pitiful. Are you sure?"

I had a feeling that stretching the inevitable conclusion would be the wisest move to make. Sadly, he had not come for anything else than a direct answer.

"Yeah. I don't know."

"You don't know if you're sure?" He asked hopeful.

"No, I mean I don't know what day it is."

A muscle on Jake's forehead twitched. He did his best to suppress his anger. That was a nice change in pace, however it also meant that he would be able to think more rationally. That was not to my advantage. Angry men made mistakes, calm men didn't.

"I had been hoping for a change of heart."

Was he serious? How could he ever think that after last night, I would just forgot all my principles and say yes? He had abducted me, locked me up and hit me, and still he wouldn't understand that I want nothing to do with him. His arrogance was immeasurable.

"What gave you reason to believe one would occur? The abduction or the manly beat up you gave me?" I remarked bitterly.

My words shocked him and he realized that by hitting me, he had undeniably made himself only more of a villain. He leaned forward and tried to caress my cheek. I moved away as far as I could, but wasn't able to avoid his cold, white hand rubbing the dried stream of blood from the fur of my face. He looked at me in near-genuine concern. I knew that it was just an act. That concern would fade once my answer got through that thick skull of him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, you know that right? That's why I gave you the blanket. Look, Judy, we're not so different you know." He said, shifting his paw from my cheek to having it rest on my knee, making me even less comfortable. "I just want to be your friend. Will you let me be your friend, Judy? Please?"

He leaned forward in an attempt to kiss me. That was the last straw. I seized the moment to abruptly swing my head forward and bash it right onto Jake's nose. Despite having completely forgotten my initial plan to get the pen, my blow was so sudden that Jake tumbled backwards and, together with his chair, fell onto the floor. In the process, the pen was catapulted from his pocket and landed against the boxes behind him.

He crawled onto his feet, his flaming eyes forewarning me that I was in for a retaliation. I didn't care. I'd rather be struck a dozen times if it meant avoiding getting kissed by this creep. He wiped the blood that came out of his left nostril with the back of his paw. Already infuriated by my action, seeing the red fluid was in turn _his_ last straw. He raised his arm to strike me again and I braced for another beat up. It didn't. He was halted at the very last moment by the caribou upstairs.

"Boss. He's here."

Jake's nose twitched. I read from his expression that he hated the timing as it was apparently too urgent to postpone it to give me my punishment. Without saying another word, he swept away another bit of blood, grabbed his coat and hurried up the stairs. The caribou turned off the lights and closed the door.

I giggled. Although Jake had gotten the answer to his question, I doubt it had been the one he _had_ hoped for.

 **==Nick==**

 _*Pweeep*_

An aggressive honk from the car I passed by. I ignored it and continued my journey to Big's mansion on the far side of Tundra Town. How could I have been so dumb. Big never trusted me with this case. He had only needed me to get into the ZPD and retrieve this video. I was such an idiot lately. Normally I'd smell a hoax like this from miles away. When had I become such a fool? I knew the answer, yet wasn't willing to accept it. It had been since I had partnered up with Judy. My feelings for her made me blind to otherwise obvious hints. I had been so hell-bent on going after her that I had been remiss in acknowledging that Big was every bit the hustler I was.

Another car sounded his horn in response to my hasty driving style and I contemplated turning the siren on. I chose not to. I was almost there and I had probably already been snapped by a speed camera anyway. At the end of the next street lay the villa.

It was time for me to start living up to the promise I made to myself. In order to rescue Judy, I had to become the tactician I used to be. The superior conman that could fool everybody. I had to be if I wanted her back. Mr. Big's treacherous act, along with Bogo denying me her case, only showed me that I was truly alone in this fight. And if I was only to rely on myself, I had to be able to strike down every obstacle, either in a legitimate way or in a more… vulpine way.

I knew there was not a chance Big's men were gonna let me see him, so I had to trick them to get inside. Fortunately, my competitive spirit had reinvigorated all of my cunning, the moment Kevin had pulled a fast one on me. I had devised a plan during my ride here, and I would waste no time executing it. I parked my car outside the premises and gestured to the bear that was posted outside.

"Hey buddy, can you help me? I got a package for Mr. Big."

He shot me a tentative glare.

"I know nothing of any package."

"That's because I wasn't sure I'd make it today. Here, come have a look." I said, opening the trunk.

It worked and he walked over to me. What he didn't know was that the package was in fact my tranquilizer gun. It didn't take long for the serum to take effect and when it did, he stumbled drowsily against the car, trying to hold himself up, only to eventually slide onto the bricks. He was too heavy for me to drag him back into his gatekeeper cabin, so I had to leave him on the sidewalk in front of the house. This made me feel a little guilty.

"Sorry pal. Nothing personal." I apologized.

I walked down Big's driveway without encountering anyone else. Nearing the front door, I got the two guards in sight. I had already configured a plan to get past them.

They had been slouching a bit due to the inactivity of their job. They reared upright when one of them alarmed the other of my approach. I walked so casually however, that they were unsure of how to react.

"Good afternoon." I said.

"Woah, mate. Hold on for a second!" The left one stopped me.

His name was Bryan and he was the older and smarter one of the set. I knew that, because he was in the service of Mr. Big for a long time already. He had been here too when I sold Mr. Big the skunk-butt-rug. He was also a stickler for protocol, thus not knowing of my arrival, stood out to him as odd. Moreover, he knew my face and my reputation.

"Joe hasn't said anything about you coming our way."

"He tried, but his radio was broken." I made up.

As was to be expected, Bryan tried to reach Joe via his walky-talky. The latter of course didn't respond since he was sleeping on the sidewalk next to my car.

"See? Feel free to go and check him if you don't believe me." I suggested, knowing it would take him at least fifteen minutes to do so.

"And meanwhile you sneak inside?" He asked distrustful.

I sighed.

"Listen buddy. If I truly wanted to get inside unnoticed, do you think I would've walked up to the front door?"

"He's got a point." The other added.

"Shut up, Johnny." Bryan responded agitated.

He readdressed me.

"Fine. I'll go check on him. But while I do, you wait here" he turned back to Johnny "and you make sure that he does. And be careful, cause he's a trickster."

The second, younger guard nodded understandingly and Bryan left for the front gate. I waited tactically for him to get out of hearing distance.

"As much as I want to obey your brawny friend, I am already a little late for my appointment, so I'm going in if you don't mind."

He blocked my passage with his paw.

"I do mind. Bryan told me to keep you here, so that's what I'll do."

"Yeah, but if your boss finds out you've kept his guest here, _unnecessarily_ , he won't be all that pleased with you, you know that, don't you?"

I intentionally referred to Mr. Big as his employer to aid my words in reaching their goal. My babysitter was, as I had gauged correctly, relatively new and therefore pliable by the magic of doubt.

"I guess not. But I have my orders and-"

"Wait. Here's an idea. If you just guide me upstairs and to Mr. Big, he can explain it himself."

"I don't know. Bryan warned me not to trust you."

"Come on. If you're with me all the way, what possible harm could I do?"

With the illusion of remaining in control of the situation, he agreed to my solution. He escorted me in and down the hallway to the mammal I had come to see. The hustle I pulled on this poor soul had two benefits for me. First, I wouldn't have any issues getting through the house as I was escorted by Johnny. Second, I wouldn't have to try and find Mr. Big as Johnny already led me straight to him. Moreover, I had been here multiple times over the past few days and since nobody knew every exact order, they naturally assumed I was here on invitation, especially for the first of the two reasons.

We halted in front of Big's working office. That was another fortunate turn, since it was likely that the shrew would be entirely alone.

"Come in." He answered Johnny's knocking on the door.

In comparison to the room where Judy and I had been received earlier, his studies were a lot less appealing. The walls were decorated with the same black and maroon stripes as the rest of the house, although it lacked the small artifacts, such as the family paintings, that had given the other room a certain degree hospitality. On this wall hung solely a screen with a beamer standing on a board on the opposite wall. Furthermore there was no carpet on the floor and furniture – other than a heightened desk and chair for Big himself – was absent as well. The rodent was writing something on a piece of paper that looked more like parchment than actual paper. This gave an odd contrast with the modern laptop that also resided on his desk, albeit turned off.

"This man says he had an appointment with you, sir."

It was funny how Johnny announced me so formally.

"Appointment? I have no memory of..." Big's shock of recognition was briefer than with normal mammals, maybe partly because he had expected my return. "What is he doing here?! Seize him!"

Johnny responded to his boss's command a moment too late and the tranq dart in his foot took away his motor control in mere seconds. I stepped aside to avoid getting under him as he plummeted onto the floor.

Unfortunately, I had miscalculated the amount of bears in the room. Big wasn't alone. Koslov was here to and he, alerted at the same time as his employer, grabbed me by the shoulder. Panicked, I shot his belly full of sedative darts. To make sure the huge bear succumbed before ripping off my arm, I had taken the liberty of hitting him trice. With the angry glare still on his face, he slowly sunk through his knees as he gradually lost the fight with the drugs that ran through his veins. When I was sure they were both down, I turned to the small animal on the desk.

"Well played Nicky. Now what is your plan?"

He sounded unimpressed, yet I knew that in taking down Koslov, I held all the cards now.

"The evidence from the car, the video, I want it." I replied, rubbing my sore shoulder.

"You break into my house and threaten me, all for that?" He wondered.

"Like I said before, Judy means just as much to me as Fru Fru means to you."

He took a moment to recollect that and nodded.

"If you want to know, it was Lupinski who has taken them." He said, turning on his laptop.

"I'll be the judge of that." I pulled a USB drive from my duty belt and placed it on the table before him. "The video… Please."

Since the video didn't hold any other strategical value, he didn't struggle further and did as I commanded. He plugged the portable memory stick into an adapter cable, allowing a connection between it and the shrew's much smaller laptop. He showed me that the file was indeed on the USB drive and then returned it to me.

"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make sure that you don't alarm anyone while I leave your house."

I lifted him up with chair and all, and placed him onto the floor. It would take him a while to get back onto his desk and that was where his array of emergency buttons was.

"Even though I approve of your determination to find the girls, I will not let you get away with breaking into my house and threatening me at gunpoint." He said.

I scoffed.

"Don't you say I had to do anything to get them back safely?"

And with that line to think about, I closed the door behind me. And walked to one of the many backdoors of the villa just as casually as on my way in. Having seen me enter the house with Johnny, nobody was inclined to stop me. I even greeted a guard on my way out. Once outside, I chose the route past the least amount of windows to reach the front door. Like on my way here, there was nobody out on the premises, so I could sneak back unnoticed. I waited a minute behind a bush, until Bryan came running back and barge through the front door and into the house. This meant that there was now nobody left to stop me here from getting to my car. And even if there was, I'd always have my tranquilizer gun. I dropped my relaxed attitude and ran as fast as I could the front gate and to the safety of my car.

Joe was for as yet unconscious, thus I stepped over him and fired up the engine to make a quick getaway. It was then that my phone rang. The display showed an unknown number, leaving me hesitant in picking up. After it had rung for the fifth time however, I pressed the green button nonetheless.

"Who is this?" I asked doubtfully.


End file.
